T-T 

L 


ome 


KATE 
-  V  - 
SAINT 
MAUR 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 


SELF-SUPPORTING    HOME 


BY 
KATE  V.   SAINT  MAUR 


WITH  MANY  ILLUSTRATIONS  FROM 
PHOTOGRAPHS 


Nefo  gork 
THE    MACMILLAN   COMPANY 

LONDON:  MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  LTD. 
1905 

All  rights  reserved 


COPTKIGHT,  1904-1905, 
BY  PEAE80N  PUBLISHING  CO. 

OOPTBIGHT,    1905, 

BY  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.    Published  November,  1905. 


NortoooB 

J.  8.  Cnahing  &  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 
Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 

PAGE 

The  origin  of  the  farm  —  What  was  reared  the  first  sum- 
mer—  Cost  and  profit  —  The  accident  that  established 
pet  stock  —  Considering  the  pros  and  cons  of  a  country 
life  —  Suggestions  for  finding  the  home  —  Things 
which  must  be  bought  before  leaving  the  city  ,  .  1 

CHAPTER  II 
OCTOBER 

Putting  the  out-buildings  in  order  —  Renovating  the  poul- 
try-house —  Whitewash  —  Roosting  frame  —  Nest 
boxes  —  Space  required  by  hens — Quarantine  coops 

—  Barrels  as  grain  bins  —  Mixing  grains  —  Feeding 

—  Drinking  tubs  —  The  cow  —  Points  for  buying  — 
Learning  to  milk 16 

CHAPTER  III 
NOVEMBER 

Imperial  Pekin  ducks  —  Dry-goods  case  as  a  coop  —  Gath- 
ering the  eggs  —  Ponds  not  necessary  —  Feed  for 
laying  ducks  —  Pigeons  —  How  to  house,  mate,  feed, 
and  general  care  —  Homers  the  best  breed  for  squab 
raising  —  Scratching  material  and  nuts  for  poultry 
V 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

—  Selecting  the   ground  for  next  year's  garden  — 
Trimming  the  orchard  —  Tending  to  small  fruits  — 
Pruning  grapes  —  Covering  strawberry  beds  —  The 
asparagus  bed  —  Rhubarb  for  cellar  forcing  —  Storing 
celery  and  other  vegetables  —  Preparing  potting  mould      39 

CHAPTER  IV 
DECEMBER 

The  cow  stable  —  Home-made  improvements  —  Winter 
feeding  —  The  care  of  milk  and  utensils  —  Churning 

—  The  horse  as  a  Christmas  present  —  How  I  learned 
to  hitch  up  —  Choosing  a  family  horse  —  Feed,  sta- 
bling, and  grooming — Rabbits  —  Making  the  hutches, 
breeding,  and  feed  —  Correct  way  to  handle  —  Caring 
for  the  little  ones  —  Mushrooms  in  a  cellar  —  Compost 

for  beds  —  Hints  for  salads .        .    .    .        .        .        .59 

CHAPTER  V 
JANUARY 

The  honey-bee  —  Purchasing  a  colony  and  hive  —  Swarm- 
ing —  Smoking  —  The  government  of  the  hive  —  The 
age  of  bees  —  The  queen,  mother  of  the  hive  —  The 
nuptial  flight  —  Wintering  bees  —  The  poultry-yard ; 
making  up  breeding  flocks  —  Alternating  males  — • 
Chemical  analysis  of  the  egg  —  Balanced  rations  — 
Guinea-fowls ;  their  market  value  —  Housing  and  feed- 
ing—  Finding  a  nest  —  Setting  the  eggs  under  com- 
mon hens  —  Special  brood  coops  —  A  lost  baby  — 
Feeding  the  little  ones  —  How  to  cook  ...  87 

vi 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  VI 
FEBRUARY 

PAOI 

The  incubator  —  Setting  it  up  on  arrival  —  Correct  adjust- 
ment —  Heating  and  regulating  —  Testing  eggs  — 
Hay  instead  of  roosts  for  cold  nights  —  Making  brood 
coops,  drinking  fountains,  feed  troughs  —  Planning 
the  garden  —  List  of  seeds,  vegetable  and  flower  — 
Nursery  boxes  —  Starting  flower  seeds  and  potatoes 
in  the  house  —  Hastening  rhubarb  and  asparagus  in 
the  garden 116 

CHAPTER  VII 

MARCH 

My  first  experience  with  incubator  chicks  —  Brooders ; 
advantage  of  individual  machines  —  Preparing  for 
the  motherless  babies  —  Food  for  the  first  twenty 
days  —  Setting  hens  —  How  to  know  a  broody  hen  — 
Removing  from  the  chicken-house  to  special  coop  for 
the  period  of  incubation  —  Removing  the  babies  — 
Placing  Mrs.  Biddy  and  her  family  in  the  brood  coop 
—  The  right  consistency  of  mould  for  ploughing  — 
Transplanting  seedlings  to  larger  boxes  —  Starting 
tender  vegetables  in  the  house  —  Planting  potatoes ; 
how  to  cut  the  tubers  —  Buying  and  setting  out  dor- 
mant trees 141 

CHAPTER  VIII 
APRIL 

Launcelot  Gobbo,  our  first  gander  —  Geese :  breeding,  feed- 
ing, hatching —  Care  of  goslings  and  young  ducks  — 

vii 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Young  ducks  for  market;  how  to  catch,  avoid  fright- 
ening —  Changing  diet  for  hens  —  Special  whitewash 
for  fruit  trees  and  fences  —  Spraying  fruit  trees  — 
Bordeaux  mixture  —  Planting  vegetable  seeds ;  dis- 
tance of  rows  and  depth  —  Bedding  out  hardy  vege- 
table plants  —  Uncovering  strawberries  —  The  herb 
bed  —  Preparing  the  ground  in  flower  garden  .  .  166 

CHAPTER  IX 
MAY 

Turkeys  —  Serviceable  suggestions  gathered  on  a  large 
breeding  farm  —  Personal  experience  of  feeding, 
hatching,  and  rearing  the  young  —  Importance  of 
caring  for  growing  chicks  —  Weight  of  chicks  —  Sepa- 
rating flocks  for  market  and  stock  —  Feeding  young 
pullets  —  The  cow  and  calf  —  Weaning  an  unneces- 
sary cruelty  —  Rearing  the  calf  —  Bedding  out  tender 
vegetables  —  Looking-glasses  in  the  cherry  trees  — 
Starting  an  asparagus  bed  —  Field  corn  —  Trees  in 
the  chicken  yards —  Setting  out  house  plants  in  the 
flower  garden 194 

CHAPTER  X 
JUNE 

Pheasants  —  Different  breeds  —  Enclosures,  feeding,  mat- 
ing —  Bantam  hens  as  foster-mothers  —  Killing  and 
dressing  poultry  —  Artificial  method  of  fattening  in 
use  abroad  —  The  effect  of  food  on  flavor  —  How  to 
pluck,  draw,  and  truss  birds  for  table —  Commencing 

viii 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


to  sow  succession  crops  in  the  vegetable  garden  — 
The  advantage  of  the  hand  plough  and  cultivator  — 
Sulphur  for  grape  vines  —  Caring  for  the  spring  bulbs 
after  flowering  is  over 220 

CHAPTER  XI 

JULY 

Cats  of  high  degree  —  Home  cattery —  Mother  cats  —  Kit- 
tens —  Vermin  that  attacks  poultry ;  how  to  prevent 
and  exterminate  —  Moulting,  hastening  and  aiding, 
effect  on  egg  production  —  Increasing  the  currant  and 
berry  patch — Sowing  crimson  clover  for  poultry  — 
Renovating  the  orchard  ground  —  Cow  peas  and  clover 
to  eke  out  the  poor  hay  crop  .  .  244 

CHAPTER  XII 

AUGUST 

Preparing  fowls  for  the  show-room  —  Washing  white  birds 
—  Crating  and  shipping  —  Capons  —  My  first  lesson 
and  last  attempt  —  Their  use  as  foster-mothers  — 
Water-cress;  starting  beds  and  forcing  for  winter  — 
Planting  new  strawberry  beds  —  Some  hardy  vege- 
tables —  Harvesting  onions  —  Planting  bulbs  in  the 
garden  for  next  year  —  Starting  bulbs  in  the  house  to 
bloom  for  Christmas  —  Taking  slips  from  geraniums 
and  other  plants 266 

CHAPTER  XIII 

SEPTEMBER 

Collecting  green  food  for  the  poultry  during  the  winter  — 
Buying  new  cockerels  —  Sorting  and  mating  young 

ix 


CONTENTS 

PAGK 

pigeons  —  Building  up  the  business  side  of  a  farm  — 
How  to  ship  eggs  —  The  new  chicken-house  —  The 
pig ;  its  sty  and  general  care  —  Gathering  apples  and 
storing  for  winter  use  —  Hot-bed  and  cold  frame  .  288 

CHAPTER  XIV 
POULTRY  AILMENTS 

Roup,  bronchitis,  canker,  influenza,  all  kindred  ills  — 
Gapes ;  prevention  and  cure  —  Scaly  legs  —  How  to 
prevent  feather  pulling  —  Cholera  —  Indigestion  — 
Crop  bound — Eye  troubles  —  An  old  cure  for  gapes  .  313 

CHAPTER  XV 
VEGETABLES  FOR  TABLE  AND  HEALTH 

Squash  cutlets  —  Irish  stew — Mock  duck  —  Furmity  — 
Okra  —  Pot-cheese,  plain  and  savory  —  Potato  cheese 
cakes  —  Curd  cheese  cakes  —  Honey  cake  —  Honey 
drink  —  Generalities 332 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  House  that  rented  for  Fifteen  Dollars  a  Month       Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

The  Fireplace 5 

The  First   Hen    ("Mrs.    Perry")  — Just   turned   out   into 

Brood  Coop 12 

Sheds  made  into  a  Chicken  Yard 21 

Powdering  a  New  Arrival 28 

Pair  of  White  Wyandottes 33 

A  Fine  Coop  for  Little  Chicks 37 

A  Fine  Flock 44 

Yards  for  Pigeons 48 

Drake 53 

Winter  Quarters 60 

The  Right  Way  to  squeeze  out  the  Buttermilk        ...  65 

Ploughing  —  Currying 69 

A  Pair  of  Beauties 76 

A  Corner  of  our  First  Rabbitry 80 

Jacko,  who  comes  and  goes  as  he  Likes          ....  85 

Looking  for  the  Queen 92 

What  the  Bees  give  Us 97 

A  Flock  of  Pullets 101 

A  Pair  of  White  Guinea-fowl 108 

Market  Birds  hatched  by  Hens  and  as  Tame  as  their  Foster- 
mothers     112 

xi 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACINO  PACK 

A  Sturdy  Pair  of  Plymouth  Rocks 117 

The  Head  Herdsman 124 

Single  and  Double  Brooder  House 145 

Interior  of  Sectional  Brooder  House,  One  Hundred  Feet  Long, 

heated  by  Hot  Water,  used  on  Large  Broiler  Plants        .  160 

Father  of  his  Flock 165 

Launcelot  and  his  Perturbed  Spouse 172 

Launcelot  Gobbo  the  Wonderful 181 

The  Eight  Sort  of  Pool  for  Ducks 188 

Gathering  Dandelion  Salad 193 

One  of  our  Pets 197 

Brooder  Yards 204 

Feeding  —  Going  to  Pasture 208 

Colonizing  Plan 213 

Pheasant  Enclosure         . 220 

Eing-neck  Pheasant 229 

Useful  Coops  for  Hens  and  Chicks  (Eough  Shelters  for  keep- 
ing off  Noon-day  Sun  later  in  the  Season)        .        .        .  236 
The  Fox  Terrier  that  came  to  Visit  — Tabitha        .        .        .245 
Argent  Splendor  (a  Superb  Specimen  of  his  Kind)  —  Kliner  .  262 
Mowing  down  a  Weedy  Patch  for  Bedding     .        .        .        .261 

A  Pretty  Corner  near  the  House 268 

The  Beehives  in  August 277 

Vegetables  for  Dinner 284 

October 289 

Twelve-dozen  Egg  Box 293 

Breeding  House  for  Hens 300 

The  Pigeon  Yard 304 

Pleasure  and  Business                                      ....  312 


Xll 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

CHAPTER    I 

A  SELF-SUPPORTING  country  home 
•£^-  for  persons  whose  income  depends  on 
personal  effort  within  the  heart  of  a  great  city 
will  seem  a  Utopian  dream  unless  I  relate  my 
personal  experiences  as  to  its  practical  value, 
which  commenced  ten  years  ago.  Up  to  that 
time  I  had  been  a  city  woman,  striving,  like 
hundreds  of  others,  to  maintain  appearances 
on  a  housekeeping  allowance  which  needed 
coaxing  over  every  little  bump  of  hospitality, 
to  induce  the  two  ends  to  meet.  Through 
all  the  petty  warfare  of  bad  times,  one  desire, 
one  hope,  was  paramount  —  a  country  home 
where  plenty  should  make  visitors  an  unal- 
loyed pleasure.  Chance,  Fate,  Providence, 
or  whatever  name  is  preferred  for  the  Power 
which  shapes  our  ends,  led  me  to  the  Pet 
Stock  and  Poultry  Show,  and  there  it  suddenly 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

occurred  to  me  that,  instead  of  waiting  for 
the  acquisition  of  fortune  to  realize  the  desire, 
the  desire  might  be  made  to  help  acquire 
some  of  the  fortune.  It  was  such  a  comfort- 
able, invigorating  inspiration  that  it  enthused 
away  all  the  obstacles  suggested  by  a  cautious 
husband,  and  his  consent  was  won  on  condi- 
tion that  current  expenses  were  not  increased, 
or  capital  risked. 

An  advertisement  was  inserted  in  a  Sunday 
paper  for  a  small  farm  not  more  than  twenty- 
five  miles  out,  or  more  than  one  mile  from 
a  depot.  At  least  a  dozen  real  estate  agents 
answered,  assuring  us  that  they  had  exactly 
what  we  required.  Being  unfamiliar  with 
the  capacity  and  fertility  of  the  imaginations 
of  these  gentlemen,  our  faith  was  great  until 
we  had  inspected  seven  or  eight  wretched 
places,  utterly  unlike  any  ideal  home.  Then 
we  became  convinced  that  the  real  estate 
business  undoubtedly  affects  mental  vision 
and  veracity. 

However,  we  eventually  discovered  a  dear 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

old  house  of  nine  rooms,  two  cellars,  a  summer 
kitchen,  barn,  chicken-house,  cow  shed,  small 
smoke-house,  and  twelve  acres  of  land,  five 
of  which  were  covered  with  apple  trees. 
Near  the  house  were  three  pear  trees,  four 
peach,  three  quinces,  two  plum  trees,  and 
about  hah0  an  acre  divided  between  straw- 
berry plants,  blackberry  and  raspberry  bushes. 
It  was  the  haven  of  our  imagination,  and  could 
be  leased  for  three  years  at  $180  a  year,  so 
that,  even  after  $6  a  month  had  been  added 
for  my  husband's  commutation  ticket,  there 
was  still  a  surplus  of  $19  from  the  rent  of 
the  apartment  we  were  occupying  in  town, 
which,  of  course,  was  to  be  used  to  defray 
moving  expenses  and  purchase  of  stock. 
The  latter  commenced  with  the  acquisition 
of  an  old  Plymouth  Rock  hen,  which  my 
nearest  neighbor  sold  me  for  fifty  cents, 
because,  as  she  put  it :  — 

"The  plaguy  thing  wanted  to  set  afore 
weather  was  settled  enough  to  be  bothered 
with  chicks." 

3 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

I  thought  differently,  and  "Mrs.  Perry,"  as 
we  christened  her,  became  the  founder  of  my 
poultry  farm  by  presenting  me  with  nine 
strong  little  chicks  out  of  the  thirteen  eggs  I 
set  her  on.  Five  more  broody  biddies  were 
bought,  and  by  the  end  of  March  I  had  sixty- 
seven  chicks.  During  the  summer  there  was 
an  addition  of  fifteen  varied  mongrels,  and 
one  hundred  and  forty-eight  chicks  were 
raised.  The  cost  of  the  hens  was  $10,  eggs 
for  setting  $5,  feed  from  August  to  March 
$4;  total  outlay,  $19. 

On  the  credit  side,  ninety  chicks  were  sold 
as  broilers,  realizing  $22.  So  the  profit  was 
$3  in  cash,  with  fifty-eight  pullets  for  stock, 
as  well  as  eggs  for  our  own  table  from  May. 

Ducks  commenced,  as  did  everything  else, 
in  a  very  small  way;  but  they  were  real 
Imperial  Pekins,  two  ducks  and  a  drake, 
acquired  the  second  week  in  March.  Their 
laying  started  on  March  20;  and  as  these 
birds  take  all  their  rest  during  the  winter, 
paying  their  board  every  day  with  an  egg 

4 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

through  the  early  summer,  by  the  26th  I  had 
the  requisite  eleven  to  put  under  a  hen  for  hatch- 
ing, the  first  ten  having  been  used  for  cooking. 

On  June  30,  when  my  ducklings  were 
nine  weeks  old,  a  man  drove  in  and  offered 
to  buy  them  at  eighteen  cents  a  pound. 
There  were  sixteen  about  the  same  age; 
their  weight  tallied  up  forty-four  pounds, 
netting  me  $7.92. 

By  November,  thirty  more  had  been  sold, 
twelve  being  retained  for  stock. 

The  cost  of  feeding  cannot  be  given  with 
exactness  because  no  separate  account  was 
kept  —  $20  would  certainly  cover  it.  The 
originals  cost  $4.50,  so  profit  on  the  invest- 
ment amounted  to  nearly  $30. 

Three  guinea-fowls  became  my  property 
for  a  dollar  and  a  half  —  the  owner  was 
anxious  to  be  rid  of  them.  We  raised  thirty- 
two.  Six  pairs  sold,  at  six  months  old,  at  a 
dollar  a  pair:  we  used  ten  for  our  own  table 
-they  are  delicious,  very  like  game;  eight 
were  retained  for  stock. 

5 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

In  April  we  made  our  garden.  Seeds, 
including  a  barrel  of  potatoes,  cost  $10. 
May  17  we  had  radishes,  lettuce,  and  young 
onions.  June  7  new  potatoes  and  green 
peas  graced  our  table.  From  that  time  in 
quick  succession  came  turnips,  beets,  cab- 
bage, carrots,  sweet  corn,  melons,  okra,  cu- 
cumbers, beans,  tomatoes,  and  squash,  all 
so  delicious  in  their  crisp,  cool  flavor,  un- 
spoiled by  packing  or  travelling,  that  we 
became  almost  vegetarians;  but  so  bounti- 
ful was  the  supply  that  the  surplus,  when 
canned  and  stored,  was  sufficient  to  carry 
us  through  the  winter.  The  rhubarb  gave 
us  fruit  pies  in  April,  after  which  came 
cherries,  strawberries,  raspberries,  currants, 
blackberries,  peaches,  apples,  and  pears  —  all 
we  could  use,  and  plenty  to  "put  up."  In 
fact,  with  April,  living  expenses  became 
lighter  each  week,  for  many  of  our  rest 
hours  were  devoted  to  fishing  on  the  river 
which  ran  through  the  orchard;  the  spoils 
making  a  pleasant  change  for  breakfast,  and 

6 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

an  additional  reduction  in  the  butcher's 
bill. 

By  October  the  savings  from  these  sources 
alone  enabled  me  to  gratify  my  great  desire  for 
a  cow.  The  day  of  her  arrival  was  the  advent 
of  the  real  farm  home,  which  gave  the  blessed 
feeling  of  independent  sufficiency.  Cereals, 
hitherto  eaten  as  a  sort  of  duty,  became  tempt- 
ing luxuries  when  surrounded  by  real  cream. 

With  April  also  started  the  pet  stock 
branch  of  our  farming,  which  will  appeal  to 
many  women  who  cannot  possibly  alter  their 
lives  enough  to  start  a  chicken  farm.  We 
had  two  Maltese  cats  and  a  white  rabbit, 
merely  as  pets.  Early  in  February,  Gray- 
kins  had  four  kittens,  all  of  which  had  been 
kept  because  they  were  so  pretty,  and  Gray- 
kins  was  so  fond  of  them.  I  had  not  the 
heart  to  consign  them  to  the  usual  watery 
grave.  About  the  same  time,  Bunny  had 
six  little  pink-eyed  babies;  but  their  becoming 
the  foundation  of  a  pet  stock  business  was 
quite  an  accident.  In  fact,  these  little  people 

7 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

had  not  received  much  thought,  for  I  had 
my  first  incubator  at  the  time,  and  the  care 
and  attention  it  demanded  shut  out  all  else. 
(I  was  rewarded  by  getting  seventy-four 
little  chicks  out  of  ninety  eggs.) 

The  day  after  they  were  out,  I  went  up  to 
the  city  to  do  a  day's  shopping  before  start- 
ing the  incubator  again.  Near  the  ferry, 
having  to  pass  an  animal  store,  I  stopped  to 
look  at  some  puppies  in  the  window;  and 
as  I  did  so,  a  man  opened  the  door,  and  I 
heard  him  say  to  the  one  inside :  — 

"  Now  don't  forget.  I  must  have  those  little 
chickens  and  rabbits  by  Wednesday  morning." 

The  storekeeper  replied,  "If  I  can,  sir;  but 
they're  hard  to  get  at  this  time  of  year." 

Before  I  realized  what  I  was  doing,  I 
turned  into  the  store  and  announced  to  the 
astonished  man  that  I  had  just  what  he 
wanted.  He  at  once  said :  — 

"I  will  give  you  $20  a  hundred  for  white 
chickens,  and  75  cents  apiece  for  young 
rabbits." 

8 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

So  it  was  arranged  that  I  should  send  up 
fifty  chicks  and  six  baby  rabbits,  for  which 
he  would  give  me  $14.50.  Then,  as  a  sudden 
thought,  he  remarked :  — 

'You  don't  happen  to  have  any  Maltese 
kittens,  do  you?" 

''Yes;  four,"    I  replied. 

"Well,  I'll  give  you  a  dollar  each  for  them." 

I  said  he  could  have  three,  for  of  course 
I  couldn't  take  all  of  Graykins'  kittens  away 
from  her  at  once. 

That  $17.50  was  invested  in  Peruvian 
cavies  and  two  more  white  rabbits,  so  start- 
ing pets  as  money-makers.  By  spending 
merely  the  money  saved  through  the  pro- 
duction of  the  home,  on  the  home,  it  became 
entirely  self-supporting  by  the  seventeenth 
month.  Three  months  later  there  was  a 
surplus  profit  each  month  —  not  much,  cer- 
tainly, but  enough  to  prove  that  we  had  the 
foundation  of  a  business  in  our  home,  should 
we  at  any  time  become  entirely  dependent 
upon  it. 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Think  of  a  family  enjoying  the  comfort 
of  a  large  house  instead  of  a  small  apart- 
ment, leading  a  happy,  healthy  life,  exempt 
from  the  wear  and  tear  of  the  city  rush  and 
noise  —  surely  an  enviable  condition  under 
any  circumstances.  When  you  realize  that 
all  these  comforts  enabled  us,  after  the  first 
year  and  a  half,  to  bank  the  sum  previously 
absorbed  by  living  expenses,  you  will  under- 
stand my  enthusiasm  on  the  subject  of  a 
country  home  for  people  of  moderate  means, 
which  you  might  have  received  with  doubt, 
had  not  this  summary  of  facts  been  given  to 
prove  conclusively  what  can  be  accomplished 
in  a  short  time  without  capital. 

Before  deciding  to  embrace  a  country  life 
it  will  be  well  to  consider  the  pros  and  cons. 
The  average  city  man  may  dread  becoming 
a  commuter;  but  when  he  realizes  the  en- 
joyment and  rest  found  on  a  comfortable 
seat  in  a  moderately  filled  car,  the  standing, 
crushed  strap-hold  of  the  elevated  train  will 
scarcely  be  regretted. 

10 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Children's  education  is  the  next  "obstacle." 
Every  village  has  a  school,  some  extremely 
good ;  all  possess  the  advantage  of  not  being 
overcrowded.  When  the  little  one  has  out- 
grown the  village  curriculum,  at  an  average 
distance  of  ten  miles  in  any  of  the  adjoining 
districts  will  be  found  the  high  school  or 
college.  All  suburban  lines  issue  school 
tickets  at  extremely  low  rates.  It  being 
conceded  that  full  mental  development  is 
impossible  unless  accompanied  by  physical 
and  moral  growth,  the  pure  air  and  whole- 
some freedom  of  the  country  must  make  the 
best  men  and  women  of  your  children. 

The  entire  category  of  supposed  draw- 
backs is  replaced  by  benefits  and  values  too 
numerous  to  be  catalogued  here. 

October  and  November  are  always  de- 
lightfully bright  months,  just  cold  enough 
to  make  tramping  about  in  the  country 
vastly  enjoyable,  and  should  therefore  be 
utilized  for  finding  and  fixing  the  future 
home.  It  is  also  the  best  and  cheapest  time 

11 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

to  purchase  birds,  fodder,  etc.,  —  poultry- 
men  and  farmers  are  anxious  to  reduce  ex- 
penses and  economize  space  before  real  cold 
weather  sets  in.  Another  advantage  in  mov- 
ing then,  is  that  roads  are  in  good  condition 
and  teamsters  are  not  busy. 

A  good  plan  is  to  study  maps  of  the  sur- 
rounding country  within  twenty  miles  of  .the 
city;  select  a  few  villages,  then  write  to  the 
station  agent  or  postmaster  in  each,  stating 
plainly  just  what  size  place  is  required,  re- 
questing him  to  hand  the  letter  to  any  one 
having  such  a  farm  for  rent  or  sale.  Country 
officials  are  usually  well  posted  and  obliging. 
When  making  appointments  through  the  mail 
to  visit  places,  do  so  two  or  three  days  in 
advance  to  insure  being  met.  Farmers  seldom 
send  to  the  village  for  mail  every  day. 

Every  woman,  of  course,  has  individual 
tastes  to  be  considered  in  selecting  a  home, 
so  my  only  suggestion  will  be  this  :  do  not 
expect  or  desire  modern  improvements  in 
a  cheap  farm-house;  they  are  a  snare  and  a 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

delusion,  invariably  a  never  ending  expense 
and  menace  to  health.  An  abundant  supply 
of  water,  not  merely  good,  but  "without  fear 
and  without  reproach,"  is  essential.  Your 
inquiries  about  the  well  cannot  be  too  care- 
ful. 

The  ideal  poultry-farm  has  sandy  soil 
sloping  to  the  south,  or  southwest,  standing 
well  away  from  neighbors.  To  a  self-sup- 
porting home  there  must  be  an  orchard,  cow 
pasture,  strip  of  woodland,  and  the  ordinary 
farm  buildings. 

A  lease  should  have  a  renewal  or  purchase 
clause,  and  the  right  to  cut  small  or  dead 
wood  for  repairing,  fencing,  and  for  fuel. 
Of  course  this  does  not  mean  sacrificing 
timber,  or  any  power  to  sell  it.  Also  it  must 
be  understood  that  the  right  to  remove 
chicken-houses  or  other  buildings  you  may 
erect  during  your  tenancy,  belongs  to  you. 

Before  leaving  the  city,  certain  additions 
to  the  household  belongings  should  be  made 
as  follows :  — 

13 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

A  portable  bath-tub,  lamps,  stoves,  wash- 
tubs,  and  such  tools  as  are  indispensable  — 
spade,  long-handled  shovel,  pick,  grub-hoe, 
rake,  two  saws,  scythe,  sickle,  axe,  big  ham- 
mer, screw-driver,  chisel,  gimlet,  and  wheel- 
barrow. 

During  my  first  year  of  poultry  raising, 
like  most  amateurs  I  craved  reliable  infor- 
mation, and  bought,  borrowed,  and  begged 
many  books,  so-called  authorities  on  the 
subject.  There  was  always  a  page,  when 
there  were  not  several,  devoted  to  each  breed 
of  hens.  In  each  case  it  was  the  best  breed 
(only  there  was  a  reason  why  it  was  better 
not  to  keep  it),  lengthy  dissertations  on  the 
value  of  protein,  carbohydrates,  cellulose,  in 
a  nutritive  ratio  in  feeds  —  all  very  learned 
and  clever,  of  extreme  value  to  the  experi- 
enced poultryman,  but  mere  confusing  jar- 
gon to  the  uninstructed.  Remembering  this, 
my  great  desire  will  be  to  make  these 
monthly  schedules  of  work  simple  and  dras- 
tically plain,  stating  exact  quantity,  quality, 

14 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

and  methods  found  by  personal  experience 
to  be  safe  and  useful  —  a  sort  of  necessary 
foundation  on  which  the  layman  can  build 
knowledge  as  gleaned  from  individual  ex- 
perience. 


15 


P 


CHAPTER  II 

OCTOBER 
RESUMING  the  selection  is  made  and 


the  ordeal  of  moving  over,  the  practical 
side  of  the  work  can  now  claim  attention. 

Go  over  all  the  buildings  carefully.  A 
loose  board  or  rotten  stable  floor,  a  jagged 
point  to  some  projecting  post,  a  loose  facing 
to  a  manger,  are  all  trifling  matters  needing 
only  a  few  minutes'  work  to  fix,  but  neglected 
may  cause  serious  accidents.  See  that  all 
the  doors  fasten  easily  and  securely. 

The  chicken-house  is  usually  a  dilapidated, 
dark  shed,  needing  thorough  renovation. 
Commence  by  having  the  old  roosting  poles 
and  nests  torn  out  and  burned  at  once.  Do 
not  let  them  be  left  lying  about.  Ceiling 
and  sides  must  be  swept  with  a  stiff  broom; 
corners,  ledges,  all  crevices,  well  scraped  to 

16 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

remove  accumulated  dust  and  dirt.  If  the 
floor  is  earth,  half  a  foot  must  be  scraped 
off,  the  surface  carted  to  a  remote  part  of 
the  farm,  and  scattered  broadcast.  It  is 
excellent  fertilizer  for  the  garden;  but  as 
the  previous  occupants  of  the  chicken-house 
may  not  have  been  healthy,  it  is  safer  not  to 
leave  it  where  your  birds  can  scratch  in  it. 
Get  a  quart  of  crude  carbolic  acid  and  mix 
it  with  three  gallons  of  naphtha  —  needless  to 
say,  these  commodities  must  be  kept  in 
closed  cans  in  an  outside  shed,  secure  from 
children  or  fire.  Take  out  about  a  quart  at 
a  time,  in  an  open  pail  into  which  a  brush 
can  be  dipped.  The  interior  of  the  house 
is  to  be  thoroughly  painted  over  with  this 
mixture,  swishing  it  well  into  corners.  Scat- 
ter quicklime  on  the  floor;  shut  the  door 
and  leave  the  place  alone  for  twelve  hours. 

Unless  it  is  an  exceptionally  well-built 
house,  the  outside  will  have  to  be  covered 
all  over  with  two-ply  tar  paper,  or  the  red 

roofing    paper,  whichever    is    preferred.      In 
c  17 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

calculating  the  quantity  required,  remember 
that  the  dealer's  quotation  of  feet  in  a  roll, 
is  of  square,  not  running  feet ;  therefore  a 
roll  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of  the  usual 
yard  width  would  only  be  about  eighty-two 
lineal  feet. 

Choose  a  dry  day  without  frost;  start  at 
the  bottom,  using  the  caps  and  nails  which 
are  specially  made  for  the  purpose;  some 
makers  send  out  sufficient  for  each  roll  and 
include  it  in  the  prices  quoted.  Each  row 
must  be  allowed  to  lap  over  the  edge  of  the 
preceding  one,  two  inches.  Fit  up  snugly 
under  the  eaves  of  the  roof,  or,  if  it  is  even 
with  the  sides,  allow  ample  overlappings  ; 
otherwise  slanting,  beating  rains  will  find  a 
vulnerable  spot  and  cause  trouble.  What- 
ever the  size  of  the  building,  have  the  greater 
part  of  the  south  or  southwest  exposure, 
glass.  Ordinary-sized  sashes  can  be  bought 
in  or  near  every  village,  and  are  best  fixed 
in  grooves  top  and  bottom,  because  then  the 
whole  sash  can  be  pushed  back  and  out  of 

18 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

the  way  on  fine  days.  On  the  outside,  cover 
the  opening  with  wire  netting. 

After  the  exterior  of  the  poultry-house  is 
put  into  good  repair,  the  interior  must  be 
considered. 

If  the  floor  appears  damp,  have  a  thick 
layer  of  stones  laid  over  it  before  filling  in 
clean  earth  in  place  of  the  surface  scraped 
away.  It  must  be  levelled  and  well  stamped 
down;  when  finished,  the  floor  must  be  a 
foot  above  the  outer  ground. 

Put  a  quart  of  unslaked  lime  into  an  ordi- 
nary-sized galvanized  pail;  pour  on  it  enough 
boiling  water  to  come  about  three  inches  below 
the  lime;  don't  disturb  it,  and  in  a  few  min- 
utes it  will  boil  and  bubble;  then,  with  a  long 
piece  of  stick,  stir  it  into  a  smooth  paste,  to 
which  more  boiling  water  is  to  be  added  until 
it  is  about  the  consistency  of  thin  cream. 
Half  a  small  cup  of  crude  carbolic  acid  and 
a  similar-sized  cup  of  kerosene  are  then  to 
be  stirred  into  it.  This  completes  a  white- 
wash which,  when  applied  while  hot  to  the 

19 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

walls  and  ceiling  of  the  chicken-house,  makes 
it  wholesomely  clean.  When  this  is  done, 
have  a  platform  three  feet  wide  run  across 
the  back,  or  end,  of  the  house,  two  feet  from 
the  floor. 

Get  hardwood  slats  four  inches  wide  by 
two  inches  thick;  from  these  construct  a 
frame  eighteen  inches  wide  and  six  inches 
shorter  than  the  length  of  the  platform.  At 
each  corner  of  this  frame  put  a  nine-inch 
leg.  This  frame,  when  stood  upon  the  plat- 
form, makes  two  roosts  which,  being  on  the 
same  level,  prevent  the  birds  fighting  and 
crowding  upon  one  another,  as  they  always 
do  when  the  roosts  slant,  each  bird  desiring 
to  be  on  the  top  rung. 

If  the  house  is  to  accommodate  twelve 
hens,  provide  six  nests  a  foot  square,  made  in 
groups  of  three,  with  legs  a  foot  high;  they 
are  easily  handled  and  removed  for  house- 
cleaning.  Stand  them  in  the  darkest  and 
most  secluded  part  of  the  house.  Put  a 
handful  of  hay  and  a  china  nest-egg  in 

20 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

each.  Scatter  dry  sand,  earth,  fine  ashes,  or 
sawdust  on  the  platform,  to  prevent  the 
droppings  from  adhering  to  the  boards;  it 
facilitates  cleaning.  The  entire  floor  space  is 
finally  to  be  covered  five  or  six  inches  deep 
with  straw  cut  a  foot  in  length,  common 
bedding  hay,  or  dried  leaves. 

The  yard  is  best  in  front  of  the  house. 
Straight  poles  about  eleven  inches  in  circum- 
ference and  eight  feet  long,  cut  from  the 
woods,  or  four-by-four  spruce  scantling,  in- 
serted two  feet  in  the  ground  and  six  feet 
apart,  constitute  the  foundation  on  which 
to  stretch  the  wire  netting.  Make  a  door 
into  the  yard,  using  very  light  poles  or  slats 
for  the  foundation  and,  of  course,  covering 
it  with  wire.  Run  a  baseboard  from  post 
to  post,  and  above  it  two-inch  mesh  gal- 
vanized wire  netting,  five  feet  wide.  Yards 
for  a  house  accommodating  twelve  birds  should 
be  at  least  fifty  feet  long  and  ten  feet  wide. 

If  time  or  the  restriction  on  expenditure 
prohibits  the  platform,  nests,  etc.,  they  can 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

be  dispensed  with  for  a  time  by  standing  the 
roosting  frame  on  the  floor,  taking  the  pre- 
caution to  have  plenty  of  the  scratching 
material  under  it;  empty  grocery  boxes  can 
be  substituted  for  the  made  nests.  Nail  the 
netting  as  low  down  on  the  posts  as  possible, 
if  baseboards  are  not  used,  and  throw  earth 
all  around  the  outside.  Even  the  roosting 
frame  could  be  made  from  straight  sap- 
lings. 

The  cleaning,  whitewashing,  and  making 
storm-proof  must  be  in  no  way  slighted. 
Cleanliness,  freedom  from  draught  and  damp, 
are  essential  conditions  which  must  be  estab- 
lished before  genuine  work  can  be  accom- 
plished. 

There  are  some  twenty-five  distinct  breeds 
of  fowls  —  domestic  fowls,  that  is.  Further- 
more, there  are  four  or  five  varieties  of  each 
chronicled  in  the  "  American  Standard  of 
Perfection,"  as  qualified  to  compete  at 
poultry  shows.  But  as  practical  utility  is 
the  keynote  to  be  struck  in  establishing  a 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

self-supporting  home,  the  lists  must  be  re- 
duced to  those  birds  which  are  the  best  as 
marketable  commodities.  In  this  list  will 
be  found  Brahmas,  Plymouth  Rocks,  Wyan- 
dottes,  Rhode  Island  Reds,  and  Leghorns. 
After  experimenting  with  all  these  and  many 
others,  the  White  Wyandotte,  in  my  opinion, 
reigns  supreme  as  queen  of  the  "general 
purposes  hen."  They  are  good  winter  layers, 
mature  early,  and  either  as  broilers  or  roasters 
are  excellent.  Having  small  bones  and  being 
of  round,  compact  build,  they  have  plump 
breasts  even  at  twelve  weeks  old.  Their 
feathers  are  worth  nearly  as  much  as  ducks'. 
Lastly,  they  are  kept  in  bonds  by  a  fence  only 
four  feet  high. 

Honesty  demands  the  admission  that 
Plymouth  Rocks  and  Rhode  Island  Reds 
are  excellent  birds;  so  that  my  choice  is  a 
purely  personal  matter.  Brahmas,  having  a 
larger  frame,  do  not  make  such  good  broil- 
ers. As  young  roasters  they  are  delicious; 
but  once  fully  matured,  they  cannot  compare 

23 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

with  the  smaller  birds  as  egg  producers. 
Leghorns,  which  are  the  great  layers  in  a 
warm  climate,  must  have  the  best  of  housing 
to  keep  up  their  reputation  in  the  East  and 
West  during  the  cold  weather,  when  eggs 
bring  the  best  prices.  A  fence  ten  or  twelve 
feet  high  is  required  to  control  them.  This 
adds  materially  to  the  yarding  expenses. 

A  mixed  flock  of  barnyard  chickens  should 
not  be  considered  for  a  moment,  because  it 
is  impossible  to  select  any  rations  suited  to 
varied  constitutional  demands.  Brahmas 
and  all  the  heavy  birds  will  make  internal 
fat,  retarding  egg  production,  on  rations  that 
would  merely  keep  Leghorns  in  good  condi- 
tion. This  is  one  of  the  main  reasons  why 
ordinary  farmers  declare  that  chickens  don't 
pay,  while  poultrymen  state  that  they  are 
the  most  profitable  stock. 

Wyandotte  hens  between  one  and  two 
years  old,  of  good  market  quality,  can  be 
bought  for  a  dollar  each ;  and  as  you  want 
the  eggs  this  first  season  principally  for  hatch- 

24 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

ing,  they  will  be  better  than  this  year's  birds, 
which  cost  more.  The  number  must  be 
regulated  by  the  size  of  the  chicken-house. 
Every  fifteen  birds  require  twelve  by  twelve 
feet  of  floor  space.  It  is  better  to  have  ten 
birds  well  cared  for  than  twenty  in  crowded 
quarters. 

Two  cockerels  (the  name  which  distin- 
guishes roosters  under  one  year  old)  will 
have  to  be  bought  in  January,  when  the 
eggs  are  to  be  used  for  hatching,  but  are 
not  necessary  at  first.  Before  the  birds  ar- 
rive, get  two  large,  empty  cases  from  the 
grocery  store.  Remove  the  boards  from  the 
top  of  each,  and  make  a  lid  of  slats  and  wire 
netting.  Put  hinges,  four  inches  from  each 
end,  at  the  back,  and  a  catch  to  fasten  it 
down  in  front,  to  convert  the  boxes  into 
coops.  Stand  them  in  some  outbuilding, 
light  and  airy  in  the  daytime,  but  which  can 
be  closely  shut  up  at  night.  They  must  be 
whitewashed  inside,  and  have  a  perch  across 
the  centre,  and  two  or  three  inches  of  sand, 

25 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

dry  earth,  or  ashes  on  the  bottom.  These 
places  are  for  quarantine  coops,  in  which 
new  birds  can  be  segregated,  until  the  nec- 
essary precautions  have  been  effected.  Fill 
a  flour  dredger  with  any  good  insect  pow- 
der ;  take  each  bird  by  the  legs,  hold  it 
head  down,  and  powder  thoroughly,  especially 
in  the  soft  feathers  around  the  thighs  and 
tail;  then  put  it  into  the  coop,  where  the 
birds  are  to  be  kept  for  two  or  three  days, 
during  which  time  they  should  be  powdered 
every  night,  to  insure  their  being  free  from 
vermin  when  placed  in  the  chicken-house. 
Care  in  always  observing  this  rule  saves  much 
future  work,  and  protects  the  premises  from 
contamination. 

The  plan  of  establishing  the  country  house 
without  capital  forbids  the  building  of  a 
feed  house  until  success  and  natural  growth 
compel  properly  constructed  accommodation, 
which  will  be  the  next  fall.  Until  that  time, 
some  makeshift  must  be  fixed  up;  for  it  is 
annoying  —  well-nigh  impossible  —  to  have 

26 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

things  scattered  all  over  the  place.  (The 
summer  kitchen  was  old,  and  inconveniently 
far  from  the  house,  on  my  first  place,  so  I 
used  that.) 

Inexpensive  bins  to  keep  the  different 
grains  in  can  be  made  from  sugar  barrels, 
costing  ten  cents  at  the  village  store.  Square 
lids  to  cover  the  whole  top  are  easily  fixed. 
A  coat  of  tar  on  the  outside  will  make  it  so 
slippery,  rats  and  mice  can't  run  up  the  sides ; 
and  rodents  dislike  tar  so  much,  they  won't 
gnaw  through  it.  With  a  white  distinguish- 
ing number  on  the  front  of  each  barrel, 
they  look  quite  tidy  and  businesslike. 
Wherever  they  stand,  put  bricks  or  blocks 
of  wood  underneath  so  that  the  air  can  cir- 
culate; thus  avoiding  dampness,  which  will 
cause  the  contents  to  mildew.  When  the 
barrels  are  ready,  buy  a  bag  each  of  ground 
feed  (oats  and  corn),  white  middlings  (some- 
times called  screenings),  bran,  linseed  meal, 
animal  meal,  whole  corn,  and  a  bale  of 
clover  hay. 

27 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Before  beginning  to  mix  the  grains,  make 
yourself  a  large  apron  with  long  sleeves,  and 
a  cap  that  will  cover  your  head  all  over. 
The  dust  clings  to  hair  and  clothes  like 
flour,  and  is  difficult  to  brush  off. 

Start  operations  by  putting  into  a  dry 
dish  pan  two  quarts  of  ground  feed  and  bran 
and  one  quart  of  animal  meal.  Mix  thor- 
oughly with  your  hands,  and  empty  into 
barrel  number  one;  repeat  until  all  the  ma- 
terials are  used.  This  is  to  form  the  foun- 
dation of  mash  number  one. 

Now  put  two  quarts  of  middlings  and  one 
quart  of  linseed  into  the  dish  pan,  and  mix 
thoroughly.  Put  the  mixture  into  barrel 
number  two,  repeating  as  before,  till  all  these 
ingredients  are  used.  This  is  mash  num- 
ber two.  A  saucepan  with  a  close-fitting  lid, 
that  will  hold  five  or  ten  quarts,  according 
to  the  number  of  hens,  is  needed  for  the 
mashes. 

To  prepare  mash  number  one,  take  from 
barrel  number  one,  one  quart  of  the  mixture 

28 


POWDERING  A  NEW  ARRIVAL 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

for  every  ten  hens.  Put  it  in  the  saucepan, 
and  just  moisten  with  boiling  water  —  really 
boiling.  Cover,  and  stand  behind  the  stove 
until  the  morning. 

Mash  number  two:  one  quart  of  clover 
hay,  cut  into  half-inch  lengths.  Place  in 
the  saucepan,  and  pour  a  quart  of  boiling 
water  over  it.  Cover,  and  stand  on  back  of 
stove  to  steam  for  two  hours.  Then  add  a 
pint  of  the  contents  of  barrel  number  two, 
and  let  it  stand  until  the  morning. 

BILL   OF   FARE    FOR   TEN    HENS 

Monday,  Wednesday,  and  Friday  morn- 
ings, mash  number  one,  with  half  a  pint  of 
millet  seed,  scattered  in  the  leaves  or  what- 
ever there  is  on  the  floor  of  the  chicken- 
house;  noon,  chopped  vegetables;  night,  a 
pint  of  whole  corn  and  a  pint  of  oats. 

Tuesday,  Thursday,  and  Saturday  morn- 
ings, mash  number  two;  noon,  cut  green 
corn  and  half  a  pint  of  Kafir-corn,  to  scratch 

29 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

for;  night,  one  pint  of  wheat,  one  pint  of 
corn. 

Sunday  morning,  mash  number  one  and 
half  a  pint  of  barley;  noon,  cabbage  or  tur- 
nips cut  in  halves  and  fixed  between  stones 
to  hold  them  in  position  and  enable  the  hens 
to  pick  out  the  soft  inner  part.  The  noon 
meal  is  often  omitted  on  Sunday;  and  on 
Monday  morning  wheat  and  cracked  corn, 
or  barley,  are  frequently  used  instead  of 
mash,  to  save  mixing  on  Sunday  night. 

The  above  quantities  are  those  generally 
accepted  for  ten  birds,  but  it  is  impossible  to 
do  more  than  approximate  the  needs  of  any 
unknown  flock.  The  best  plan  for  the  nov- 
ice is  to  put  down  the  mash  and  see  how 
much  they  will  eat  in  twelve  minutes,  and 
thereafter  give  about  half  the  quantity ; 
for  their  crops  should  not  be  filled  in  the 
morning,  as  they  must  be  kept  busy  all  day, 
scratching  and  hunting  for  food.  At  supper- 
time,  on  the  contrary,  they  need  all  they  can 
eat;  especially  at  the  time  of  the  year  when 

30 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

the  nights  are  long  and  cold.  Feed  slowly; 
stop  and  see  that  each  hen  has  a  fair  share. 
The  mash  must  be  just  warm,  never  hot. 
Feed  should  be  placed  in  zinc  pans  or  troughs. 
If  these  are  not  procurable,  pieces  of  smooth 
board  three  inches  wide  and  two  feet  long, 
nailed  together  lengthways,  and  a  piece  four 
by  five  inches  across  each  end,  make  handy 
little  troughs  without  expense. 

By  the  way,  can  you  use  a  hammer  and 
saw  ?  If  not,  start  in  to  learn  from  any  handy 
boy  you  know;  for  a  chicken  woman  must 
be  able  to  make  and  mend  things.  The 
"stitch  in  time  saves  nine"  adage  must  have 
been  created  on  a  farm. 

Green  cut  bone  may  need  an  explanation. 
It  means  fresh  bones  from  the  butcher's, 
ground  in  a  hand-mill  specially  made  for  the 
purpose,  and  costing  from  $7  to  $20,  accord- 
ing to  size.  It  is  one  of  the  most  valuable 
egg  producers  known;  one  pound  is  suffi- 
cient for  sixteen  hens.  When  there  are  very 
few  birds,  table  scraps  can  take  the  place  of 

31 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

animal  meal;  especially  if  a  piece  of  raw 
liver  is  nailed  up  in  the  house  once  or  twice 
a  week  for  them  to  peck  at. 

Have  a  box  about  a  foot  deep  and  two 
square,  filled  once  a  week  with  road  dust  or 
fine  ashes,  put  in  a  sunny  place  for  the  birds 
to  dust  themselves  in;  also  a  small  one,  filled 
with  sharp  grit.  Hens  have  no  teeth,  and 
must  have  something  to  take  their  place. 
Neglecting  to  provide  birds  with  this  and 
green  food  is  the  reason  why  so  many  ama- 
teurs say  hens  don't  thrive  when  confined  to 
the  yards.  If  there  is  a  stone-crusher  in  your 
neighborhood,  the  smallest-sized  stone,  such 
as  is  used  for  garden  paths,  makes  a  fine 
substitute  for  the  regular  poultry  grit.  If 
you  have  a  small  boy,  he  can  get  an  after- 
noon's fun  smashing  up  all  the  broken  crock- 
ery and  glass,  to  aid  Biddy's  digestion. 

There  are  a  variety  of  drinking  fountains 
sold  for  so  little  that  it  is  a  pity  not  to  have 
a  few.  Still,  I  couldn't  at  first,  and  found 
that,  for  the  large  houses,  a  butter  tub  thor- 

32 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

oughly  cleaned  out,  and  with  a  square  hole 
three  inches  by  three,  cut  half-way  up  on 
one  side,  is  a  good  makeshift;  for  the  half- 
tub  holds  four  quarts  , . 

*    m rA.       -Z~L       _ 

of  water,  and  Biddy 
can  drink  very  com- 
fortably out  of  the 
hole. 

A  cat  is  a  much  bet- 
ter safeguard  against 
rats  and  mice  than  the 
best  trap;  so  keep  a  good  Maltese  in  the 
feed  house,  and  another  in  the  barn.  Pretty 
kittens  sell  for  fifty  cents,  or  a  dollar,  each. 


THE    FAMILY   COW 

Every  country  place  should  have  its  cow; 
she  is  the  very  foundation  of  its  comfort. 
If  you  doubt  it,  just  look  through  the  cookery 
book.  Is  there  any  nice,  appetizing  dish 
for  breakfast,  dinner,  tea,  or  supper  that  does 
not  require  milk,  butter,  or  cream? 
»  33 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

If  you  purpose  keeping  poultry  for  profit, 
skim-milk  figures  largely  as  a  factor  in  rais- 
ing little  chicks,  and  fattening  birds  for  table 
use.  In  fact,  the  country  home  without  a 
cow,  is  like  a  coach  without  horses  —  so 
hopelessly  stuck  does  the  housekeeper  be- 
come who  tries  to  provide  a  varied  bill  of 
fare  without  dairy  produce.  Away  from 
city  markets,  a  cow  is  a  downright  necessity. 
An  ordinarily  good  specimen  will  cost  $40 
or  so.  Feed  during  winter,  if  it  must  all  be 
bought,  will  cost  perhaps  a  dollar  a  week. 
Feed  from  April  to  September  will  cost 
nothing,  if  you  have  good  pasture  land. 

For  the  first  six  months,  she  will  give  you 
ten  to  twelve  quarts  of  milk  a  day.  After 
allowing  half  that  amount  to  be  consumed 
by  the  family,  there  will  be  sufficient  cream 
from  the  remainder  to  make  five  or  six 
pounds  of  good  butter  each  week.  The 
sour  milk,  when  creamed,  makes  pot  cheese, 
—  otherwise  known  as  cottage  cheese,  —  en- 
joyed as  much  by  the  family  as  by  the  poultry. 

34 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Even  the  buttermilk  should  be  treasured,  for 
it  has  digestive  and  blood-purifying  quali- 
ties, of  much  greater  value  than  half  of  the 
patent  medicines. 

For  three  months  before  calving,  the  milk 
supply  diminishes.  It  is  well  to  allow  the 
cow  to  go  dry  for  four  or  five  weeks;  but 
even  this  apparent  loss  is  covered  by  the 
value  of  the  calf.  For  family  use,  the  Jersey 
is  undoubtedly  the  best  animal,  because  the 
milk  is  so  much  richer. 


POINTS   ABOUT   BUYING 

A  cow  with  her  first  calf  does  not  give  as 
much  milk  as  after  the  second  and  third; 
so  she  can  be  bought  cheaper  than  when  she 
has  reached  her  maximum  yield.  A  small 
family  can  make  money  if  they  buy  a  young 
cow,  and  sell  her  after  her  third  calf,  when 
they  should  get  at  least  $15  more  for  her 
than  she  cost  originally.  A  cow's  age  can 
be  told  by  the  rings  or  ridges  on  the  horns, 

35 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

one  appearing  for  each  calf.  Choose  an 
animal  that  has  a  straight  back,  big,  soft  eyes, 
a  rather  short  face,  and  a  long,  thin  tail. 

The  best  cow  in  the  world  can  be  spoiled 
by  bad  or  careless  milking;  so  be  sure  that 
you  are  taught  this  process  by  some  reliable 
person.  A  man  who  has  a  milk  route  would 
be  a  good  selection,  because  he  is  in  constant 
practice.  Two  or  three  lessons  will  give  you 
the  theory  and  method;  nothing  but  prac- 
tice can  make  perfect.  Watch  the  milkman 
closely  and  carefully,  three  or  four  times, 
and  obtain  a  thorough  idea  of  "how  it's 
done."  Thereafter,  repetition  will  enable  you 
to  conduct  the  operation  with  ease  to  yourself, 
and  comfort  to  your  animal.  Never  hurry. 
Be  sure  the  bag  is  quite  empty;  otherwise, 
you  will  get  less  milk  every  day. 

When  we  first  moved  into  the  country,  a 
farm-hand  was  established  on  the  place. 
Then  we  looked  around,  found  a  cow,  and 
bought  her.  The  very  day  she  arrived,  the 
man's  dignity  was  offended  in  some  way, 

36 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

and  he  took  his  departure.  I  had  seen  per- 
sons milk,  and  felt  sure  it  was  easy  enough; 
so  triumphantly  marched  up  to  the  barn 
at  six  o'clock,  sat  myself  down  close  to 
"  Cush "  (who  suddenly  seemed  to  have 
grown  very  large),  tucked  the  pail  between 
my  knees,  and  grasping  a  teat  in  each 
hand,  proceeded  to  perform  an  up-and-down 
movement  perfectly  familiar  from  frequent 
observation,  and  —  not  a  single  drop  of  milk 
rewarded  my  courageous  efforts.  My  astonish- 
ment was  great,  as  the  pushing  and  pulling 
continued  without  result.  The  poor  cow's 
was  greater.  Why  she  did  not  forcibly  protest 
is  a  mystery.  When  the  perspiration  was 
pouring  down  my  face,  and  my  arms  were 
aching  as  if  I  had  been  rowing  upstream  for 
hours,  I  looked  round  and  found  Rachel 
(the  cow)  gazing  at  me  with  such  a  bewil- 
dered, pitying  expression,  that  it  made  me 
laugh;  and  I  suppose  I  released  the  tension 
of  hand  and  arm,  for  the  milk  started  to 
trickle  into  the  pail;  and,  though  it  was  a 

37 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

tedious  process,  it  ended  satisfactorily  for 
us  humans.  Fortunately,  Rachel  could  not 
proclaim  her  opinion. 

Though  it  took  me  some  time  to  make 
milking  as  easy  as  it  looked,  it  was  never  again 
the  torture  of  the  first  attempt;  and  it  has 
always  been  a  source  of  keen  satisfaction  to 
me,  that  accident  compelled  me  to  master 
actual  knowledge  of  so  important  a  detail 
of  farm  duty. 


CHAPTER  III 

NOVEMBER 

TF  your  memory  of  ducks  is  of  the  old- 
-*-  fashioned  "puddler"  which  spent  all  its 
time  grubbing  in  the  mud  and  mire  of  the 
creek,  wandering  far  from  home,  dropping 
its  eggs  promiscuously  everywhere  to  feed 
water  rats,  and  eventually  ending  an  un- 
profitable life  a  prey  to  some  carnivorous 
animal,  the  Imperial  Pekin  Duck  will  be  a 
revelation  in  its  size  and  beauty.  They  are 
almost  as  large  as  geese,  with  plumage  which 
is  white,  deepening  to  rich  cream  at  the  quill, 
and  bright  yellow  bills  and  legs.  In  fact, 
they  look  just  what  they  are  —  the  aristo- 
crats of  the  duck  species.  At  ten  weeks  old 
they  weigh  from  five  to  six  pounds,  bringing 
an  average  price  of  18  cents  a  pound.  Their 
addition  to  the  farm  is  not  a  serious  con- 

39 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

sideration,   because,   beyond   the   first   outlay 
for  birds,  there  is  little  expense. 

An  old  shed  will  do  quite  well  for  their 
home;  or,  if  you  have  not  one  to  spare,  50 
cents  will  buy  a  large  dry-goods  box  from  the 
store  in  your  village,  which  can  be  converted 
into  a  good,  serviceable  coop  —  five  birds 
need  only  three  by  four  floor  space.  Turn 
such  a  case  on  its  side ;  put  two  strips  of  four 
by  four  quartering  across  the  bottom,  to  keep 
it  from  the  damp  of  the  earth;  rip  off  the 
top,  and  cut  the  ends  diagonally  across  from 
front  to  back,  so  that  when  the  top  is  replaced, 
you  have  a  roof  with  a  pitch  of  half  a  foot; 
then  take  the  strips  of  board  that  formed  the 
original  top  (now  the  front  of  your  coop), 
and  fit  them  together  evenly  on  the  work- 
bench; or,  if  you  haven't  arrived  at  that  mas- 
culine dignity,  the  kitchen  table.  Measure 
and  cut  two  lengths  of  single  slats  to  fit 
across;  nail  on  boards  six  inches  from  each 
end,  to  form  cleats  to  hold  all  the  pieces 
together,  and  form  a  solid  door  for  the  front 

40 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

of  the  coop.  Cut  an  opening  nine  inches 
square  on  one  side,  and  fasten  the  other  side 
to  the  roof  by  hinges  (strips  of  leather  will 
answer  for  hinges).  In  this  way  it  can  be 
turned  back  on  the  roof  for  convenience 
when  cleaning  the  coop,  and  on  fine  days 
to  let  in  the  sun.  Unless  it  is  a  very  good 
box,  it  had  better  be  covered  with  roofing 
paper  or  a  coat  of  tar,  to  insure  a  total  absence 
of  leaks. 

Whatever  the  house  is,  it  must  have  clean, 
dry  straw,  or  some  sort  of  bedding  about  a 
foot  deep  on  the  floor,  renewed  every  three 
days.  It  is  not  much  use  to  put  in  nests, 
for  ducks  seem  to  prefer  dropping  their  eggs 
around  anywhere.  Put  one  box,  not  more 
than  three  inches  from  the  floor,  in  a  corner, 
with  a  china  egg.  It  will  sometimes  attract 
them. 

Under  any  circumstances,  care  must  be 
exercised  in  gathering  eggs,  for  ducks 
generally  lay  very  early  in  the  morning.  An 
egg  frozen  or  badly  chilled  will  not  hatch. 

41 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Another  need  for  care  is  necessitated  by  their 
habit  of  laying  all  over  the  coop  and  cover- 
ing the  eggs  with  straw,  leaves,  or  whatever 
the  floor  litter  may  be.  Until  I  became 
used  to  the  trick,  many  were  crushed  under- 
foot. If  you  are  going  to  let  the  ducks  have 
free  range,  keep  them  cooped  till  about  nine 
A.M.,  or  you  will  lose  their  eggs. 

A  yard  fifty  feet  long  and  ten  wide  will  be 
sufficiently  large  to  provide  exercise  for  a 
small,  breeding  flock;  and  the  wire  netting 
need  only  be  eighteen  inches  high,  which  will 
not  cost  more  than  $1.50.  Though  the  fence 
need  not  be  high,  it  must  be  very  securely 
fastened  to  the  ground;  for  ducks  seem  to 
possess  abnormal  powers  when  it  comes  to 
creeping  under  anything. 

A  trio  of  good,  ordinary  market  stock 
should  be  purchasable  for  about  $7.  Ducks 
are  not  like  hens  —  they  do  not  lay  all  the 
year  round;  but  when  they  start,  they  are 
attentive  to  the  business  of  egg  production 
daily,  so  that  a  couple  of  mature  Pekins 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

will  provide  you  with  a  sitting  in  six  days. 
As  you  will  want  to  keep  some  of  the  young 
ones  for  next  year's  stock,  ask  the  breeder 
you  buy  from  to  ship  you  birds  two  years 
old,  as  their  progeny  is  stronger. 

Pekins  never  want  to  sit;  so  hens  must  be 
used  for  hatching,  until  your  stock  is  large 
enough  to  fill  an  incubator  in  a  few  days. 
Artificial  duck  raising  is  without  doubt  the 
best.  There  is  one  farm  in  Massachusetts 
that  markets  forty-five  thousand  young  ducks 
annually,  sells  two  tons  of  feathers,  and  keeps 
twelve  hundred  breeders !  Would  such  an 
immense  business  be  possible  in  the  old  way? 

Though  Pekins  don't  need  water  to  swim 
in,  they  must  have  quantities  to  drink,  always 
fresh  and  clean;  which  means  that  drink- 
ing pans  must  be  refilled  three  times  a  day, 
and  be  so  constructed  as  to  enable  the  bird 
to  submerge  the  whole  bill  in  the  water. 
Why?  Because  there  are  two  small  holes 
at  the  base  of  the  bill,  which  become  clogged 
with  feed  or  mud;  and  unless  they  can  rinse 

43 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

these    out    when    drinking,    the    poor    things 
smother. 

A  man  who  had  a  broiler  farm  near  our 
place,  three  years  ago,  bought  a  hundred 
ducks'  eggs,  hatched  out  a  fine  lot  of  young- 
sters, and  lost  every  one  within  two  weeks, 
through  using  a  water  fountain  in  the  brooder 
that  was  too  shallow.  As  I  had  lots  of  ducks 
at  the  time,  he  brought  some  over  for  me  to 
see.  There  was  nothing  whatever  the  mat- 
ter with  them,  except  that  their  little  nostrils 
were  all  stopped  up  with  the  soft  food.  So 
pray  remember  this  very  important  direc- 
tion, when  you  are  arranging  drinking  water 
for  ducks,  young  or  old;  they  must  not  be 
able  to  get  into  the  pan  with  their  feet  or 
bodies,  but  their  entire  heads  must  have 
free  entrance. 

FEED    FOB   LAYING   DUCKS 

For  five  ducks  take  one  quart  of  bran,  a 
pint  and  a  quarter  of  corn  meal,  half  a  pint 
of  beef  scraps,  one  quart  of  cut  clover,  and 

44 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

half  a  pint  of  grit.  Scald  the  clover  and 
steam  the  same  as  for  hens.  Add  the  other 
ingredients,  giving  them  the  mixture  just 
warm,  and  a  little  softer  than  you  would  for 
hens,  night  and  morning.  Cut  vegetables 
at  noon,  unless  they  are  on  free  range  amongst 
brush  and  grass;  in  which  case,  halve  the 
night  and  morning  rations,  and  give  nothing 
at  noon  after  April  15. 

THE    RAISING   OF   PIGEONS 

There  is  a  constant  demand  for  squabs  in 
all  the  large  markets.  During  the  winter 
they  will  bring  40  cents  a  pair,  if  you  have 
private  customers.  Even  the  wholesale 
prices  range  from  $3  to  $4  a  dozen.  The 
average  estimate  for  feed  is  50  cents  a  year 
for  each  pair  of  breeders;  that  will  give  you 
at  least  twelve  squabs  in  that  time.  Cal- 
culate for  yourself  and  see  if  it  will  not  pay. 

Use  of  the  old-fashioned  row  of  holes,  and 
nest  boxes  nailed  to  the  side  of  the  barn,  into 

45 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

which  every  storm  beats,  entirely  prohibits 
any  breeding  in  the  winter.  Even  in  the 
summer  many  young  ones  are  sacrificed  to 
the  elements. 

To  insure  a  profitable  return,  pigeons  must 
be  adequately  cared  for.  A  small  house, 
built  almost  like  chicken  quarters,  eight  by 
twelve,  with  a  yard  as  long  and  as  high  as 
the  cash  to  be  expended  on  wire  netting 
permits,  will  accommodate  twenty-five  pairs. 
There  must  be  a  window  facing  south;  and 
two  feet  from  the  roof  in  front,  an  opening 
two  feet  long  and  one  high,  with  an  eight- 
inch  board  running  along  it  inside  and  out, 
as  a  platform  for  the  birds  to  rest  on.  This 
opening  should  have  a  shutter  to  close  on 
very  cold  nights. 

For  inside  fittings  provide  small  boxes 
two  feet  long  (empty  egg  crates  are  just  the 
thing,  the  dividing  partitions  being  already 
there),  an  eight-inch  platform  running  in 
front,  or  a  perch  extending  a  foot  out  in 
front  of  each  compartment.  These  individual 

46 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

houses  must  be  arranged  two  feet  apart  all 
around  the  walls,  about  three  feet  from  the 
floor.  Put  up  two  or  three  roosts  in  the 
middle  of  the  floor.  Whitewash  everything 
thoroughly,  and,  when  dry,  put  an  earthen 
nest  in  each  compartment.  They  cost  a 
dollar  a  dozen,  and  are  better  than  any  con- 
trivance, because  they  are  so  easily  kept  clean. 
Cover  the  floor  with  gravel.  Have  a  good 
drinking  fountain,  into  which  the  birds  can 
get  nothing  but  their  bills.  Add  a  pan 
about  two  feet  square  and  four  inches  deep 
as  a  bath-tub,  to  be  used  in  the  house  in  win- 
ter, and  in  the  yard  in  summer.  A  bundle 
of  hay  and  straw  is  advisable;  some  homers 
are  ambitious  and  like  to  make  their  own 
nests.  Have  the  ground  in  their  yard 
ploughed  or  dug  up,  fix  a  few  general 
perches,  and  all  is  complete. 

You  may  ask,  "Why  not  fix  up  the  loft 
over  the  stable?"  Simply  because  that 
would  necessitate  such  a  high  yard  that  it 
would  cost  more  than  the  small  house,  and 

47 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

be  nothing  like  so  convenient.  Further,  a  cov- 
ered yard  is  imperative,  if  you  don't  want  to 
lose  half  your  birds  in  seed  and  harvest  time. 
There  are  many  breeds  of  pigeons,  but, 
for  squab  raising,  homers  are  quite  the  best. 
The  young  common  pigeon  weighs  only  six 
to  eight  ounces  at  market  age,  and  is  hard 
to  sell  at  a  dollar  a  dozen.  The 
homer  at  the  same  age,  weighs  from 
twelve  to  twenty  ounces,  and  is  a 
plump,  appetizing  morsel  that 
sells  quickly.  Good  stock  will 
cost  $2  a  pair.  Remem- 
ber that  it  is  no  use  to 
buy  birds  that  are  not 
mates,  for  pigeons  remain  in  pairs  for  years 
unless  separated,  and  if  a  couple  are  parted, 
they  often  refuse  to  mate  again  that  season. 
One  unmated  male  will  break  up  most  of  the 
other  couples ;  so  be  sure  and  deal  with  a 
very  reliable  person  when  purchasing  your 
stock.  Returns  come  so  quickly,  you  can 
afford  to  be  generous  in  your  outlay. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

As  soon  as  the  pigeons  become  accustomed 
to  their  new  quarters,  the  hen  will  lay  two 
eggs,  with  a  day  between.  Incubation  takes 
eighteen  days.  Young  squabs  are  market- 
able when  thirty  days  old.  Before  then, 
the  second  nest  has  two  eggs  hatching  by  the 
mother  bird.  This  is  why  it  is  necessary 
for  each  pair  to  have  two  nests. 

Pigeons  have  one  great  advantage  over  other 
poultry  for  the  amateur,  they  are  among  the 
few  domestic  fowls  that  feed  their  own  young. 
Both  male  and  female  have  the  power  to 
secrete  a  digestive  substance,  sometimes  called 
"  pigeon's  milk,"  on  which  they  feed  the  nest- 
lings exclusively,  at  first,  adding  gradually 
hard  grain,  until  the  young  are  strong  enough 
to  find  for  themselves. 

Feeding  the  old  ones  is  quite  a  simple 
matter.  Cracked  corn,  Canada  peas,  or 
Kafir-corn  are  all  good  for  them;  in  fact, 
the  three  grains  mixed  and  fed  daily  make 
a  good  staple  diet.  For  other  feeds,  use 
wheat,  hemp-seed,  and,  one  day  in  the  week, 
E  49 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

stale  bread.  Let  there  be  plenty  of  grit 
with  all  the  feed,  and  see  that  there  is  always 
a  boxful  in  the  yard  and  house,  and  another 
of  broken-up  rock-salt. 

The  house  and  nests  must  be  kept  abso- 
lutely clean.  Go  the  rounds  once  a  week 
and  remove  all  droppings  (to  be  carefully 
saved,  of  course,  for  fertilizing).  Empty  the 
bedding  from  each  nest  from  which  squabs 
have  been  taken,  giving  the  earthen  dish  a 
wash  in  hot  water  and  soda.  Wash  out  the 
compartments  the  nests  were  in,  with  white- 
wash. When  dry,  return  the  nest  to  its 
place,  and  put  a  small  handful  of  tobacco 
stems  or  pine  needles  into  it.  They  make  a 
soft  foundation  for  the  egg,  and  destroy 
vermin. 

The  laws  in  many  states  prohibit  keeping 
game  in  cold  storage  or  shipping  quail  to 
market.  This  makes  squabs  and  young 
guinea-fowls  in  eager  demand  by  clubs,  hotels, 
and  restaurants.  If  you  start  with  two  or 
three  pairs,  and  keep  all  the  progeny,  you 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

should  have  a  goodly  number  by  the  follow- 
ing year,  as  they  begin  to  breed  at  six  months. 
I  once  read  a  calculation  which  went  to  prove 
that,  all  going  well,  twelve  pairs  of  birds,  at 
the  end  of  a  year,  would  have  multiplied  to 
nine  hundred  and  sixty.  An  old  squab 
raiser  who  never  keeps  less  than  eight  hun- 
dred breeders  declares  that  a  thousand 
homers,  correctly  handled,  will  yield  an 
annual  income  of  $1200. 

Hens  must  be  kept  perpetually  busy,  or 
health  and  the  egg-basket  will  suffer.  Hence 
the  necessity  for  a  bountiful  supply  of  clean 
material  on  the  floors  of  their  houses  during 
cold  weather,  when  most  of  their  exercise 
must  be  taken  under  cover.  Nothing  in- 
duces so  much  activity  and  apparent  enjoy- 
ment amongst  the  imprisoned  flock,  as  a 
bagful  of  autumn  leaves;  so  gathering  and 
storing  them  should  be  among  the  first  things 
to  claim  attention  after  settling  on  the  farm. 
There  are  many  bright  days  in  November, 
when  such  work  in  the  woods  is  pure  delight. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

If  black  walnuts  or  butternuts  are  to  be 
found,  they  will  lend  a  real  old-fashioned 
country  touch  to  the  Yule-log  season.  Don't 
remove  the  pithy  green  coats,  for  they  pre- 
serve the  nutty  flavor,  if  left  on  until  the  nuts 
are  required  for  use.  Surplus  nuts  and  pig 
hickories  should  all  be  collected,  if  time  per- 
mits; for  in  midwinter  they  will  afford  the 
hens  amusement,  if  crushed  in  the  bone-mill 
and  fed  occasionally  at  noon. 

Inquiry  will  reveal  some  farmer  in  the 
neighborhood,  who  has  been  growing  cab- 
bage in  large  quantities.  He  is  sure  to  have 
a  surplus  load  or  two  of  heads  too  small  for 
market,  that  can  be  bought  at  this  season  of 
the  year  for  one-half  the  winter  price.  Hens 
need  green  food  as  much  as  grain.  There 
are  many  ways  of  storing,  but  we  have  found 
that  packing  in  conical  heaps,  heads  down, 
and  protecting  with  leaves,  or  bedding-hay 
and  brush,  answers  very  well,  if  care  is  taken 
not  to  cover  too  heavily  at  first.  It  would  be 
wise  to  interrogate  the  old  residents  in  your 

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immediate  neighborhood,  as  to  method  and 
season  ;  for  all  such  work  as  this  must  be 
controlled  by  climatical  conditions,  which,  of 
course,  vary  in  every  state. 


THE   GARDEN 

Few  of  the  farms  to  be  rented  or  bought 
cheaply  have  good  vegetable  gardens.  If 
such  is  your  experience,  select  a  strip  of  land 
as  conveniently  situated  to  the  house  as 
suitability  of  ground  will  permit,  and  have 
it  ploughed  at  once,  so  that  the  frost  and  air 
have  an  opportunity  to  disintegrate  and  mel- 
low the  clods  of  earth. 

In  choosing  the  site,  remember  that  a 
slight  slope  to  the  south  or  southeast  is  de- 
sirable. Size  must  depend  very  much  on 
whether  you  intend  having  a  separate  berry 
patch  or  not.  A  hundred  feet  by  seventy- 
five  feet  will  supply  an  average  small  family 
with  vegetables  for  the  table,  excepting  win- 
ter potatoes,  which  should  come  from  the 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

field  crops.  Protection  from  the  northeast 
storms  should  be  provided.  Cedar  or  privet  is 
the  ideal  hedge  for  such  purposes,  but  it  takes 
money  and  time;  so,  whilst  it  is  developing, 
resort  to  the  serviceable  brush  hurdle  fence. 

The  fall  ploughing  should  be  deep,  so  as 
to  open  the  subsoil.  This  applies  to  farm 
land,  as  well  as  to  garden.  It  is  also  desir- 
able to  erect  posts  all  around  the  ground, 
because  there  is  more  time  now  than  in  the 
spring,  when  a  thousand  things  all  clamor 
for  attention  at  once.  Moreover,  the  ground 
is  in  a  better  condition  to  dig  and  pack  firmly 
around  the  posts,  than  in  the  spring,  when 
perpetual  alternation  between  frost  and  thaw 
is  to  be  expected. 

Orchard  trees  and  small  fruits  may  be 
trimmed  as  advantageously  now  as  in  the 
spring.  Even  the  utterly  inexperienced  man 
or  boy  can  go  through  the  orchard  and  cut 
off  sprouts  or  suckers  around  the  trees,  and 
on  the  trunks  and  main  branches.  Pruning 
needs  practical  knowledge;  so  the  first  year 

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either  employ  a  reliable  man  for  a  few  days, 
or  depend  on  the  safe  tidying  referred  to 
above.  Blackberries  and  raspberries  can  be 
safely  cut  back  to  the  conveniently  controlled 
height  of  two  and  a  half  or  three  feet,  and  the 
old  canes  trimmed  out,  as  both  bear  their 
fruit  on  the  growth  made  in  the  spring. 
Grapes  should  retain  the  main  or  conducting 
stalk,  for  which  arms  one  or  two  feet  apart 
may  be  conducted  on  a  trellis.  Shoots  from 
these  arms  should  be  cut  back  to  about  two 
inches,  for  it  is  the  new  growth  from  these 
on  which  the  fruit  will  be  borne.  Currants 
and  gooseberries  must  have  any  really  old- 
looking  branches  cut  out,  as  only  one-  or 
two-year-old  wood  is  fruitful. 

November  is  too  late  to  plant  out  new 
strawberry  beds,  but  old  ones  will  be  im- 
proved by  trimming  the  rows  into  uniform 
width  and  cultivating  the  earth  between. 
Before  the  end  of  the  month,  cover  the  whole 
bed  with  hay  or  straw,  and  a  few  corn  stalks 
or  cedar  boughs  to  keep  it  in  place. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

If  there  is  an  asparagus  bed,  cut  all  the 
seed-stalks  down,  carry  away,  and  burn  at 
once.  The  ground  between  the  rows  will 
require  spading  well,  levelling  the  earth  down 
off  the  rows  until  not  more  than  two  inches 
is  left  on  the  asparagus  crowns.  Until  two 
years  ago  we  had  followed  the  old-fashioned 
custom  of  protecting  the  beds  with  manure 
or  straw;  but  a  report  of  the  good  results 
obtained  at  the  New  Jersey  Agricultural 
Experiment  Station  prompted  our  adopting 
the  new  method,  which  has  been  most 
satisfactory. 

Rhubarb  is  nearly  always  to  be  found  on 
a  farm.  Dig  up  the  roots,  if  any  one  in  the 
family  has  as  yet  inhaled  enough  pure  air  to 
provide  the  necessary  strength  to  wield  a 
grub-hoe;  for  nothing  else  can  dislodge  the 
huge,  knobby  boulders  of  what  looks  like 
iron  ore,  which  many  years  of  undisturbed 
growth  creates.  Leave  them  lying  on  the 
surface  exposed  to  any  frost  that  may  visit 
you,  for  about  a  week.  Then  select  a  few 

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moderate  sized  roots,  and  transfer  to  the 
cellar.  We  cut  empty  sugar  barrels  in  half, 
arranged  them  in  a  dark  corner  of  the  cellar, 
placed  the  rhubarb  roots  in  them,  packing 
sand  all  around  the  root  until  the  half-tub 
was  full.  Thus  treated,  they  yielded  a  boun- 
tiful supply  of  stalks  in  January  and  Febru- 
ary. The  other  roots  can  be  split  up  into 
pieces  about  a  foot  square,  and  replanted 
two  feet  apart,  in  rows  three  feet  apart. 

Celery,  carrots,  and  such  vegetables  for 
home  use  are  best  kept  in  wooden  trenches 
ten  inches  wide  and  twelve  inches  deep,  to 
be  divided  by  a  partition  of  wood  every  two 
or  three  feet;  so  preventing  the  vegetables 
heating,  as  they  would  if  the  entire  length  of 
the  trench  was  left  unbroken.  We  have  one 
cellar  lined  by  tiers  of  these  receptacles. 
Dry,  sandy  mould,  to  the  depth  of  about 
three  inches,  is  put  into  the  bottom  of  each 
for  the  roots  to  stand  in,  so  keeping  the  stalks 
or  tubers  upright,  as  when  growing.  Pack 
as  closely  as  possible,  and  the  contents  will 

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last,  firm  and  un withered,  until  March.  Egg 
or  orange  boxes  can  be  utilized  instead  of 
making  trenches,  if  they  are  well  lined  with 
newspapers. 

Potting  mould  will  be  required  in  Febru- 
ary, when  it  is  difficult  to  procure  unfrozen 
materials;  so  should  be  prepared  now,  and 
stored  in  barrels  in  the  barn  or  cellar.  Leaf- 
mould  from  the  woods  is  excellent  filling  for 
seed  boxes,  but  if  distance  and  weight  render 
it  impracticable,  make  a  compost  of  dried 
leaves,  sod,  earth,  sand,  and  old  stable  drop- 
pings, a  two-inch  layer  of  each  alternated 
until  a  depth  of  three  feet  is  collected.  Pack 
down  tightly,  water  slightly,  and  leave  for  a 
week  or  so.  Then  work  over  with  a  manure 
fork,  until  very  thoroughly  mixed.  Repeated 
two  or  three  days,  this  will  result  in  extremely 
good  potting  mould  to  store  in  your  barrels 
until  spring. 


58 


CHAPTER  IV 

DECEMBER 

r  MRY  to  buy  the  cow  this  month  for  two 
-*-  reasons:  first,  a  good  cow  which  is  going 
to  calve  in  February  or  March  will  cost  less 
than  a  poor  one  in  March  or  April.  Secondly, 
the  yield  of  milk  is  on  the  decrease,  making 
the  night  and  morning  task  of  emptying  the 
udder  easier  for  the  amateur;  and  should 
it  not  be  accomplished  very  completely  it 
would  not  be  a  very  serious  catastrophe,  as 
when  the  cow  is  in  full  milk. 

Of  course  a  perfect  cow  stable  is  impossible 
for  a  beginner  without  capital,  but  a  very 
good  sanitary  stall  can  be  arranged  in  an 
old  stable  for  a  few  dollars.  Our  cow  barn 
was  a  large  shed  with  an  open  haymow  above, 
and  individual  stalls  for  thirteen  cows  ar- 
ranged along  the  back;  the  sides,  half  door, 

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and  ceiling  of  which  were  made  of  hardwood, 
so  they  were  scoured  with  strong  lye,  and 
dried,  shining  examples  of  cleanliness.  The 
floors  were  next  graded  half  a  foot  to  the  back, 
where  a  gutter  a  foot  wide  and  deep  was 
built  by  inserting  three  boards  below  the  sur- 
face, with  a  tile  drain-pipe  at  the  end,  to  con- 
duct the  liquid  to  a  barrel  which  was  to  be 
sunk  into  the  ground  outside  the  shed.  Scour- 
ing, grading,  making  the  gutter,  and  sinking 
the  barrel  cost  $3,  as  a  man  was  hired  for 
two  days. 

The  earth  floor  did  not  meet  my  ideas  of 
cleanliness,  and  for  a  few  days  it  puzzled  and 
worried  me.  Then  I  read  an  account  of  how 
"stone"  gate-posts  could  be  made  out  of 
Portland  cement.  This  suggested  trying  a 
coat  for  the  stable  floor.  A  bag  of  cement 
was  bought,  and  I  proceeded  to  "flag"  my 
cow  stable,  and  succeeded.  To  family  and 
friends  it  seemed  a  wonderful  accomplish- 
ment. Really,  it  was  as  easy  and  amusing 
an  occupation  as  making  mud  pies  in  pinafore 

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I 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

days.  A  board  six  inches  wide,  and  long 
enough  to  reach  from  the  gutter  to  the  front 
of  the  stable,  was  found  and  placed  a  foot 
from  the  side  wall.  The  cement  was  mixed 
according  to  directions,  poured  into  the  space 
behind  the  board,  quickly  smoothed  over 
the  surface  with  a  trowel,  and  left  for  twenty- 
four  hours  to  harden.  Then  the  board  was 
moved  down  another  foot  and  the  flooring 
process  repeated,  until  the  whole  floor  was 
covered.  By  placing  the  board  one  inch 
from  each  of  the  sides  of  the  gutter,  it  was 
possible  to  give  it  a  "stone"  surface.  Two 
boxes,  one  for  water,  the  other  for  feed,  were 
treated  in  a  like  manner.  The  whole  cost 
was  $6,  and  we  had  a  stable  easily  cleaned, 
the  most  important  consideration  for  the  home 
of  Gush. 

There  are  many  and  doubtless  better 
methods  of  feeding,  but  ours  answers  very 
well,  for  our  cows  give  plenty  of  milk,  and  are 
healthy.  From  October  to  April,  night  and 
morning,  a  big  pail  of  hay,  or  corn  stalks 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

which  have  been  chopped  into  inch  lengths; 
three  quarts  of  boiling  water  poured  over  it, 
and  allowed  to  steam.  The  night  feed  is 
prepared  soon  after  breakfast;  the  morning 
feed,  before  retiring  at  night.  Two  quarts 
of  ground  food  are  mixed  through  it  just 
before  feeding.  At  noon  a  bundle  of  hay  or 
corn  stalks  is  given,  four  times  in  the  week. 
The  other  three,  half  the  quantity  of  stalks, 
and  a  pailful  of  chopped  pumpkins  or  beets. 
Rock-salt  and  water  are  always  within  reach. 

Three  times  a  week  a  cow  should  be  given 
a  thorough  dry  scrub  with  a  stiff  brush,  to 
keep  her  skin  in  good  condition.  For  bedding, 
use  either  shavings  or  straw.  If  the  latter, 
put  it  through  the  feed  cutter  for  convenience, 
when  it  is  added  to  the  fertilizing  compound. 
Have  the  stable  cleaned  before  the  milking 
is  done  in  the  morning. 

Instead  of  the  ordinary  milking  pail  with 
a  spout  and  strainer,  which  is  difficult  to 
keep  clean,  we  use  a  plain  agate  water  pail, 
which  has  no  crevices  for  microbes  to  collect 

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in.  Our  strainer  is  made  to  order,  and  is 
like  a  shallow  colander  with  a  wire  gauze 
bottom,  over  which  a  piece  of  doubled  cheese- 
cloth is  spread  before  using,  of  course  to  be 
washed  and  scalded  after  each  straining. 

Insist  on  the  pail  being  brought  to  the 
house  as  soon  as  milking  is  over.  The  milk 
must  be  strained  at  once  into  shallow  pans. 
Next  year,  when  two  cows  are  kept,  a  cream 
separator  will  do  away  with  the  pans;  but 
at  first  such  a  luxury  would  be  an  extrava- 
gance. Keep  the  pans  in  an  even  tempera- 
ture in  a  perfectly  clean  milk  room,  or  light 
cellar,  where  no  other  food  is  kept;  because 
milk,  cream,  and  butter  readily  absorb  odors 
which  destroy  purity  and  flavor. 

The  night  milk  we  skim  the  next  morning, 
so  that  there  is  fresh  cream  for  the  morning 
cereal,  and  plenty  of  milk  for  the  day's  cook- 
ing. The  morning  milk  is  left  for  twenty- 
four  or  thirty-six  hours,  and  then  skimmed, 
the  cream  going  into  the  jar  kept  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  the  clabbered  milk  turned  into  pot 

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cheese.  In  winter  we  churn  once  a  week; 
in  summer,  twice.  Every  time  a  new  skim- 
ming is  added,  stir  the  contents  of  the  jar 
two  or  three  times  around;  it  assists  the  work 
on  churning  day. 

Cleanliness  must  be  rigidly  observed. 
Have  a  dish-cloth  and  scrubbing-brush  kept 
exclusively  for  the  dairy  implements.  As 
soon  as  the  milk  is  strained,  the  pail  and 
strainer  must  be  rinsed  with  cold  water,  then 
scrubbed  with  hot  water;  but  no  soap  should 
be  used.  Rinse  thoroughly  with  boiling 
water,  and  set  in  the  sun  and  air  to  dry  and 
sweeten.  Before  it  is  used  again,  rinse  with 
cold  water.  Insist  on  the  milker  washing 
his  or  her  hands  before  milking.  Should 
the  cow's  bag  be  at  all  soiled,  wash  off  with 
warm  water,  and  dry  with  a  soft,  clean 
cloth.  The  pans  must  be  washed  like  the 
pail,  but  also  scoured  with  salt  to  remove  all 
particles  of  stale  cream.  The  churn  and  all 
the  wooden  things  should  be  scoured  in  cold 
water  and  salt,  rinsed,  and  aired  in  the  shade, 

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THE  RIGHT  WAY  TO  SQUEEZE  OUT  THE  BUTTERMILK 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

and    rinsed    in    scalding   water    just    before 
using. 

Remember  that  milk  is  one  of  the  most 
wholesome,  nourishing  foods  on  earth  when 
pure,  but  that  it  is  perhaps  the  most  danger- 
ous if  exposed  to  any  bad  odors  or  conditions 
of  decay;  for  then  it  attracts 
and  develops  every  kind  of 
wretched  little  microbe. 

Churning,  like  milking,  can 
only  be  suggested  on  paper ; 
the  understanding  of  personal 
experience  being  required  be- 
fore reliable  knowledge  can  be 
acquired.  If  the  weather  is 
very  cold,  the  cream  jar  should 
be  carried  into  the  kitchen  an 
hour  or  so  before  churning. 
Half  fill  the  churn  with  boiling  water,  and 
let  stand  a  few  minutes,  and  pour  out  just 
before  emptying  the  cream  into  the  churn. 
Then  agitate  the  cream  evenly  and  not 
too  heavily  for  fifteen  minutes  when,  if  the 
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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

temperature  is  right,  the  cream  will  have 
commenced  to  congeal.  Continue  a  little 
more  slowly,  until  the  particles  gather  into 
lumps  the  size  of  hickory  nuts;  after  which 
a  few  very  slow  movements  of  the  dasher  will 
collect  them  into  two  or  three  large  pieces 
of  convenient  size  to  remove  from  the 
churn. 

Before  commencing  to  churn,  pour  very 
hot  water  into  the  wooden  bowl;  lay  the  ladle 
and  pats  into  it.  Empty  the  water;  then 
scoop  the  butter  out  of  the  churn  into  the 
bowl,  and  proceed  to  press  out  all  the  butter- 
milk with  the  back  of  the  ladle.  Don't  rub, 
but  press  down  against  the  bowl,  making 
waves  in  the  mass  of  butter.  Then  double 
the  sides  and  ends  up  into  the  centre,  making 
it  into  a  solid  lump  again,  which  is  to  be 
pressed  out  as  before,  running  the  butter- 
milk out  of  the  bowl  each  time.  Repeat 
four  or  five  times,  or  until  no  more  liquid 
can  be  squeezed  out.  Then  flatten  evenly 
over  the  bowl,  sprinkle  with  salt,  the  quan- 

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tity,  of  course,  depending  on  individual  taste. 
Work  over  again  once  or  twice  to  distribute 
the  salt;  then  shape  as  desired  for  use. 


THE    HORSE    AS    A    CHRISTMAS   PRESENT 

Though  our  horse  was  not  acquired  through 
the  economy  or  profits  of  the  country  home, 
I  am  going  to  explain  how  she  material- 
ized and  how  we  learned  to  care  for  her, 
because  it  may  be  valuable  to  people  fortu- 
nate enough  to  possess  nice,  chummy  rela- 
tives, or  blessed  personally  with  sufficient 
surplus  cash  to  add  this  very  necessary 
animal  to  the  stock,  without  waiting  for  the 
pennies  to  accumulate. 

About  the  middle  of  the  first  December  we 
were  on  the  farm,  a  nice  mare,  two-wheeled 
road  cart,  and  harness  were  for  sale.  Time 
of  the  year,  style  of  the  cart,  and  the  fact  that 
the  owners  would  only  let  the  mare  go  to 
people  sure  to  give  her  a  comfortable  home, 
made  the  price  so  wonderful  that  I  bemoaned 

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not  being  able  to  take  advantage  of  the  bar- 
gain. Unknown  to  me,  my  family  all  com- 
bined forces,  and  on  Christmas  morning, 
when  I  went  into  the  barn,  I  was  surprised 
by  her  whinnying  a  cheery  season's  greeting. 
Poor  old  Dolly !  She  had  to  wait  some  time 
for  her  breakfast,  for  my  pleased  delight  did 
not  permit  practical,  everyday  necessities  like 
food  being  remembered,  until  a  sharp  stamp 
of  impatience  from  my  new  possession  re- 
called me  to  a  sense  of  the  responsibilities 
of  ownership.  I  could  ride  and  drive,  but 
knew  little  of  administering  to  a  horse's  real 
wants,  and  the  boy,  my  general  assistant, 
knew  less.  But  where  "  there's  a  will  there's 
a  way."  In  a  visit  to  a  near-by  stock-farm, 
the  owner  of  which  we  had  become  friendly 
with,  lots  of  useful  hints  were  picked  up,  and 
practically  applied  to  Dolly's  welfare. 

Hitching  up,  like  most  new  undertakings, 
was  fraught  with  amusing  blunders.  A 
saddle  and  breeching  are  innocent  looking 
straps  when  on  a  horse's  back,  but  the  mo- 

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ment  a  poor  amateur  takes  them  down  from 
a  hook  and  attempts  to  adjust  them,  a  Chinese 
puzzle  is  simple  to  the  conglomeration  they 
present.  Nothing  but  the  study  of  a  har- 
ness-maker's catalogue  which  happened  to 
be  in  the  house  would  have  enabled  me  to 
straighten  out  the  tangle.  Then,  when  it 
came  to  the  bridle,  finding  the  right  place  for 
Dolly's  ears  drove  her  nearly  frantic.  When 
at  last  it  was  found,  the  English  collar  would 
not  go  over  the  bridle ;  so  it  had  all  to  be  done 
over  again.  Dolly  not  being  an  angel  horse, 
the  drive  following  these  blunders  was  ex- 
citingly memorable;  yet  when  we  came  home 
there  was  a  feeling  of  comradeship  between 
"  my  horse  and  me "  that  removed  all  diffi- 
culties. 

From  this  time  on,  Dolly,  by  a  hundred 
clever  devices  known  only  to  dumb  animals, 
made  me  understand  what  she  had  been 
accustomed  to.  For  instance,  when  Satur- 
day evening  came  and  I  gave  her  oats,  she 
sniffed,  pawed  the  floor,  then,  rinding  she 

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was  not  understood,  put  her  nose  into  the 
oats  and  deliberately  began  to  push  them  out 
of  the  feed  box.  I  looked  to  see  if  anything 
was  wrong,  saw  nothing,  and  put  in  some 
more  oats,  for  her  only  to  repeat  the  panto- 
mime. Being  stupidly  dense,  I  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  she  was  not  hungry  and 
ceased  to  bother,  commencing  to  measure  out 
the  cow's  feed  which  was  kept  in  the  barn. 
Instantly  Dolly  whinnied  and  stretched  out  her 
head.  At  last  I  comprehended.  She  wanted 
mash,  not  oats.  It  was  mixed  and  given  to 
her,  and  eaten  greedily.  During  the  next 
week  I  hunted  up  the  man  who  had  worked 
for  Dolly's  old  master  and  cross-examined 
him  about  all  such  details,  to  find  that  she 
had  been  accustomed  to  mash  on  Saturday 
evening,  and  several  other  small  oddities  of 
diet,  as  a  pet,  had  been  allowed  her. 

A  medium-sized  and  not  too  lightly  built 
horse  should  be  chosen  for  general  purposes 
on  a  small  farm,  so  that  potatoes,  corn,  and 
such  crops  can  be  cultivated  next  summer 

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without  hiring  extra  help.  Don't  trust  en- 
tirely to  appearances  when  purchasing;  try 
to  glean  some  disinterested  opinions  to  guide 
you.  Country  folks  gossip  about  horses 
as  much  as  summer-resort  visitors  do  about 
the  latest  arrival. 

The  stable  should  be  light,  well  ventilated, 
and  free  from  draughts.  Bed  deeply  at  night, 
cutting  as  for  the  cow's  stable,  if  time  will 
permit.  Either  give  your  horse  a  box-stall, 
leaving  it  loose  to  lie  as  it  pleases,  or  a  narrow 
stall  with  a  tie  rope  or  chain  arranged  to  work 
on  a  pulley  and  counterweight,  so  remov- 
ing the  danger  of  the  horse  getting  chain  or 
rope  under  its  leg  when  lying  down,  to  hobble 
the  poor  beast  when  getting  up  again.  A 
stall  too  wide  may  tempt  a  horse  to  roll. 
Then  the  restricted  space  prevents  it  being 
able  to  regain  its  balance,  and  severe  accidents 
are  the  results.  Therefore,  allow  no  medium 
in  your  horse's  sleeping  apartment,  for  in 
this  instance  it  would  not  be  happy  or  safe. 

Grooming  is  of  the  utmost  importance. 
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An  old  cavalry  soldier,  who  begged  a  night's 
shelter  and  stayed  with  us  a  whole  summer, 
gave  me  many  valuable  lessons  on  this  sub- 
ject. First,  don't  bring  a  horse  out  of  the 
warm  stable  and  ruthlessly  strip  off  a  thick 
blanket,  exposing  the  whole  body  to  the  cold, 
whilst  you  work  with  the  slow  movements 
of  the  inexperienced.  Instead,  unstrap  the 
front  of  the  blanket  and  turn  it  half-way  back. 
Then,  being  careful  not  to  slap  the  curry- 
comb on  to  the  horse,  work  as  quickly  as  a 
firm,  even,  but  light  pressure  will  permit, 
much  as  you  would  use  a  flesh-brush  on  your 
own  body.  Every  few  minutes  rap  the  side 
of  the  currycomb  sharply  against  the  floor 
or  wall.  The  collection  of  dust  and  dan- 
druff-like powder  which  will  fall  out  from 
between  the  teeth  must  awaken  any  one  to 
the  necessity  of  cleaning  a  horse  thoroughly 
and  regularly. 

After  the  currying  is  accomplished,  take 
up  the  brush  and  rub,  scrub,  and  polish 
until  the  hair  shines.  Then  replace  the  front 

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of  the  blanket,  turning  up  the  back  half  over 
the  shoulders,  until  the  hind  quarters  match 
the  front  in  shimmering  cleanliness.  Tail 
and  mane  require  a  coarse  comb  and  brush, 
sold  especially  for  the  purpose.  Next,  wring 
a  sponge  out  of  warm  water  and  wipe  the 
horse's  face,  removing  any  lodgement  at  the 
corners  of  the  eyes  or  mouth.  Keep  a  rough, 
clean  cloth  for  drying  and  polishing  the  face, 
or  a  moderately  hard  brush.  Never  use  a 
currycomb  or  large  brush  on  the  face,  for 
it  is  difficult  to  avoid  catching  the  bristles 
against  the  eyes  or  lips.  Pick  up  each  foot 
in  turn  and  with  a  blunt,  smoothly  rounded 
piece  of  iron  or  steel  clean  out  the  hoof, 
being  careful  not  to  injure  the  soft,  gristly 
growth  in  the  centre,  which  forms  the  frog. 

Cultivate  the  habit  of  talking  to  your  horse 
when  cleaning,  hitching,  or  feeding.  No 
matter  how  good  a  man  you  may  have,  lose 
no  time  in  acquiring  the  knowledge  that  will 
enable  you  to  intelligently  care  for  your 
horse  should  the  necessity  arise.  Make  it  a 

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rule  at  grooming  time  to  take  the  horse  some 
treat,  —  a  carrot,  a  lump  of  sugar,  or  piece  of 
bread,  —  whichever  may  be  its  individual  pref- 
erence. It  makes  the  horse  friendly,  checks 
any  chance  of  neglect  or  impatient  temper 
on  the  part  of  the  man  being  visited  on  the 
horse;  moreover,  it  enables  you  to  give  the 
day's  orders  without  loss  of  time  to  either. 

Your  rations  are  four  quarts  of  oats  and  six 
pounds  of  hay,  night  and  morning;  noon, 
two  quarts  of  oats,  varied  by  a  bran  mash 
on  Saturday  night,  made  by  pouring  one 
quart  of  scalding  water  on  to  four  quarts  of 
wheat  bran,  into  which  a  tablespoonful  of 
salt  has  been  mixed.  Prepare  at  noon,  which 
gives  it  plenty  of  time  to  steam  and  become 
nearly  cold  before  supper,  as  all  mash  feed 
should  be  barely  warm  when  fed.  Our 
horse  and  cattle  have  water  always  before 
them.  If  your  stabling  does  not  permit 
that,  water  twenty  minutes  before  feeding; 
and  when  the  weather  is  very  cold,  take  the 
extreme  chill  off  the  water  before  offering  it 

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to  the  stock.  Allow  a  horse  one  hour  for 
breakfast,  and  not  less  than  half  an  hour 
for  dinner.  Punctual  meal  hours,  sufficient 
time  in  which  to  consume  the  food,  and  a 
few  minutes  undisturbed  rest  afterward  in- 
sure health  and  willing  work. 

A  horse  travelling  two  or  three  miles  a  day 
should  be  shod  every  six  weeks.  After  the 
first  of  December  it  is  safer  to  keep  your 
horse  rough  shod;  else,  some  morning,  the 
commuter  may  miss  his  train  because  the 
ground  is  so  slippery  it  is  difficult  for  the  horse 
even  to  walk.  After  driving,  let  the  horse 
stand  half  an  hour  before  feeding  or  watering. 
Be  thoughtful  and  kind  to  your  horse,  and 
it  will  be  the  greatest  help  and  pleasure  to 
your  home. 

RABBITS 

White  rabbits  are  the  best  to  start  the  pet 
stock  branch  of  the  farm,  because  they  do 
not  cost  more  than  a  dollar  each  when  of 
mature  age,  and  there  is  always  a  ready  mar- 

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ket  for  the  young  ones  in  every  large  city; 
dealers  being  willing  to  pay  25  cents  apiece 
at  all  times,  and  from  50  to  75  cents  at 
Easter.  Mrs.  Bunny  usually  rears  five  fami- 
lies during  the  year,  making  an  average  of 
thirty  little  ones,  which,  counting  minimum 
prices,  makes  it  safe  to  estimate  a  $6  addition 
to  the  home  income  for  every  mother  rabbit. 

Each  doe  should  have  a  hutch  two  and  a 
half  feet  long,  two  feet  wide,  and  two  high. 
We  get  the  empty  cases  in  which  shoes  are 
shipped  to  the  general  store  in  the  village, 
at  a  cost  of  5  cents  each.  By  turning 
them  on  the  side,  a  hutch  of  just  the  right 
dimensions  is  obtained,  needing  only  a  door, 
the  frame  of  which  can  be  easily  made  from 
shingle  slates.  Cut  two  pieces  the  exact 
length  of  the  case,  two  pieces  the  exact  width, 
rule  a  pencil  line  two  inches  from  each  end, 
place  a  fine  saw  lengthwise  over  the  line,  and 
cut  the  lath  evenly  half  through  its  thickness. 
Then,  with  a  sharp  pocket-knife  or  chisel, 

remove  the  severed  portion;    so  making  the 

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corners  join  without  either  side  of  the  frame 
being  uneven.  I  believe  in  carpenter's  ver- 
nacular the  process  is  referred  to  as  a  "mor- 
tise joint."  When  the  frame  is  finished, 
cover  with  one-inch  wire  netting,  and  attach 
to  the  bottom  of  the  hutch  by  hinges  placed 
four  inches  from  each  end.  A  screw  hook 
and  eye  at  the  top  make  a  secure  fastening. 
Bore  three  holes,  half  an  inch  in  diameter, 
in  the  back  corners  of  the  floor  of  the  hutch, 
and  it  is  ready  for  its  furnishings,  which  con- 
sist of  a  nest  box  fourteen  by  twelve  inches 
in  size,  with  an  arched  hole  seven  inches  high 
and  four  wide  cut  in  the  front,  and  two  small 
pans  for  feed  and  water.  Brown  earthen 
butter  crocks,  or  the  zinc  dishes  used  in 
parrots'  cages,  are  the  best.  If  the  latter 
are  chosen,  screw-eyes  must  be  put  into  the 
side  of  the  hutch  in  which  to  hook  the  pans. 
A  row  of  such  rabbit  houses  can  be  kept  in 
the  barn  or  woodshed,  if  a  bench  two  feet 
high  is  made  of  rough  boards  for  them  to 
stand  on.  When  placing  the  hutches,  let 

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them  slant  slightly  to  the  back,  so  that  all 
moisture  may  drain  through  the  holes. 

Five  does  and  a  buck  are  sufficient  to  com- 
mence with.  Put  each  into  a  separate  hutch, 
and  after  they  become  accustomed  to  their  sur- 
roundings let  each  doe  in  turn  visit  the  buck's 
hutch  for  a  few  hours  or  a  day.  Should 
they  fight  viciously,  return  the  doe  to  her  own 
hutch  until  the  next  week.  Never  risk  putting 
the  buck  into  a  doe's  hutch,  for  they  usu- 
ally resent  the  intrusion  with  tooth  and  nail. 

Soon  after  Mrs.  Bunny  returns  to  her  own 
hutch,  she  will  commence  to  gather  up  the 
bedding  in  her  mouth  and  carry  it  into  the 
nest  box.  When  it  is  filled  with  the  hay, 
she  hollows  out  a  round  hole  in  the  centre, 
which  she  then  lines  with  fur  pulled  from 
her  own  body.  After  thirty  days  it  will  be 
occupied  by  sightless,  furless  little  creatures; 
but  not  a  hint  will  Mrs.  Bunny  give  you  of 
the  fact  until,  the  nine  days  of  infantile  ugli- 
ness being  past,  she  allows  them  to  run  out 
into  the  hutch  for  a  few  minutes  at  a  time. 

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Then  you  may  chance  to  get  a  glimpse  of 
one  hurrying  out  of  sight  when  you  go  to 
feed  them;  but  not  until  the  sixteenth  day 
do  they  really  play  about  and  eat  solid  food. 

When  six  weeks  old,  all  the  babies  can  be 
taken  away  from  the  mother  and  placed  in 
a  large  hutch  for  two  or  three  weeks,  to 
gain  strength  and  self-reliance  before  leaving 
home. 

If  you  wish  to  increase  your  stock,  keep 
one  or  two  baby  does  from  each  family.  They 
can  be  kept  together  in  one  hutch  until  four 
months  old,  after  which  they  should  be 
allowed  to  have  individual  establishments. 
This  will,  of  course,  necessitate  the  purchase 
of  another  buck  to  prevent  in-breeding. 
After  successful  results  have  made  you  an 
enthusiast  on  the  rabbit  subject,  there  are 
many  varieties  which  can  be  gradually  added 
to  the  establishment;  but  don't  attempt 
Himalayans  or  Dutch  until  you  have  mas- 
tered some  of  the  problems  of  paternal 
influences  on  color  and  markings. 

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The  floor  of  the  hutch  should  have  a  thick 
layer  of  sawdust,  common  bedding  hay,  or 
dried  leaves  —  whichever  is  easiest  to  pro- 
cure. It  doesn't  matter,  so  long  as  the 
hutches  are  thoroughly  well  cleaned  out 
twice  a  week,  and  Mrs.  Bunny  is  provided 
with  bedding  for  nest  building.  Avoid 
touching  the  small  box  when  cleaning,  after 
the  doe  commences  to  fill  it,  until  the  babies 
are  three  weeks  old.  Then  empty  out  the 
nest  and  replace  with  loose  hay.  Give  the 
does  clean,  empty  bedrooms  a  week  after 
each  family  is  taken  away  from  them. 

When  obtainable,  their  principal  food 
consists  of  the  lawn  cuttings,  clover,  plan- 
tain, dandelion,  oak  leaves,  lettuce,  the  cob 
leaves  of  sweet  corn,  —  in  fact,  almost  all 
garden  stuffs,  —  and  a  small  handful  of  oats 
once  a  day.  In  winter  give  hay,  oats,  and 
corn  mixed,  apples,  carrots,  tops  of  celery, 
etc.  Avoid  turnips  or  cabbage,  because  they 
make  the  odors  from  the  hutches  very  dis- 
agreeable; and  cabbage  is  dangerous  for 

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young  rabbits,  giving  them  what  is  called 
"pot  belly,"  usually  meaning  sudden  death. 
The  safest  rule  about  all  vegetable  food 
is  to  watch  the  droppings,  which  should 
be  dry,  round  pellets.  If  they  are  soft  or 
run  together,  stop  greens  or  grass,  feeding 
only  hay  and  oats.  Give  weak,  cold  tea 
instead  of  water  to  drink.  A  piece  of  stale 
bread  or  dry  toast  is  also  good.  A  doe  should 
have  a  little  bread  ,and  milk  each  day,  from 
the  time  she  begins  to  build  her  nest  until 
the  babies  are  three  weeks'  old.  Carrots 
are  also  especially  good  for  her  during  this 
time.  A  week  before  the  little  ones  are  taken 
from  her,  feed  a  sprig  of  parsley  every  other 
day,  so  preventing  any  fear  of  milk  fever. 
When  the  acorns  commence  to  fall,  collect 
a  supply  and  keep  in  a  large  glass  jar  for 
occasional  distribution  during  the  winter, 
for  they  are  an  excellent  tonic  and  keep  the 
stock  in  good  health.  A  piece  of  oak  or 
spruce  with  the  bark  on  will  be  greedily 
stripped  if  put  into  the  hutch  during  the 
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spring  and  fall.  Once  a  week  all  the  year 
round  add  a  pinch  of  salt  to  the  drinking 
water,  which  must  be  supplied  fresh  every 
day.  Rabbits  are  thirsty  animals,  and  neglect 
to  provide  them  with  an  abundant  water 
supply  is  dire  cruelty. 

Only  a  little  less  cruel  is  the  custom  of 
lifting  rabbits  by  their  ears.  Just  imagine 
what  the  torture  must  be  when  the  entire 
weight  of  the  animal's  body  is  suspended 
from  such  a  sensitive  nerve  centre  as  the  ear. 
The  strain  to  the  spine  is  so  great  that  the 
lightest  blow  will  instantly  cause  death.  The 
correct  way  to  lift  all  the  rabbit  family  is  by 
the  skin  directly  over  the  shoulders,  which 
draws  up  the  hide  evenly  all  over  the  body, 
so  distributing  the  weight  and  preventing 
their  struggling.  The  baby  fellows  I  lift  up 
bodily  between  both  hands,  having  found  it 
much  the  easiest  and  best  way. 

Rabbits  make  such  amusing  pets  that  I 
advise  you  to  select  one  and  allow  it  to  have 
the  liberty  of  the  lawn  and  house.  Don't 

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imagine  that  their  natural  habits  make  this 
impossible.  I  had  a  Belgian  hare  which 
was  thoroughly  housebroken,  and  now  we 
have  a  white  gentleman  who  scratches  at 
the  door  when  he  wishes  to  come  in,  and  at 
breakfast  time  will  jump  on  my  knee  and  eat 
his  oatmeal  and  cream,  jumping  -down  and 
trotting  off  when  we  leave  the  dining-room, 
unless  the  day  is  very  cold  or  wet,  when  he 
lies  down  before  the  fire  with  the  cats  and 
dogs  and  takes  a  comfortable  siesta. 

MUSHROOMS 

The  owner  of  a  well-ventilated  cellar,  either 
in  town  or  country,  can  provide  the  table  with 
mushrooms.  It  is  strange  that  so  few  people 
attempt  to  grow  these  delicious  and  nutri- 
tious vegetables,  for  really  nothing  is  easier. 
Even  before  we  became  farmers  we  grew 
these  valuable  foods.  With  the  flat  we  oc- 
cupied went  two  bins  in  the  cellar,  one  for 
coal,  the  other  for  wood  or  storage,  the  latter 

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we  used  as  a  mushroom  house.  As  it  was 
near  the  heater  that  supplied  hot  water, 
just  the  atmosphere  needed  was  provided. 
Around  the  top  of  the  bin  were  open  slats, 
and  the  cellar  was  so  exceptionally  well  ven- 
tilated that  fresh  air  circulated  freely  —  one 
of  the  imperative  conditions  for  success.  Any 

dark  place  where  the 
temperature  will  not  fall 
below  fifty-five  will  an- 
swer the  purpose  as  a 
makeshift  quarters  in 
which  to  raise  enough 
of  this  famous  food 
fungus  for  home  consumption.  Once  again, 
recourse  can  be  had  to  the  ever  valuable 
grocery  store  for  some  cases;  about  two  feet 
wide  and  one  deep  is  a  convenient  size. 
They  can  stand  on  the  ground  and  in  tiers 
above,  so  space  can  be  well  economized. 

Our  first  trial  was  made  in  a  box  three 
feet  long,  and  of  the  above  width  and  depth. 
We  bought  a  single  pound  of  spawn  at  15 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

cents,  planted  it,  and  gathered  in  ten  pounds 
in  February,  when  they  were  at  50  cents  a 
pound  in  the  market.  The  compost  to  fill 
the  boxes  is  composed  of  fresh  stable  drop- 
pings and  mould  from  sod  ground  in  pro- 
portions of  two  pails  of  the  former  to  one  of 
the  latter.  Our  janitor  procured  and  mixed 
it  for  us  for  a  dollar.  Put  a  layer  about 
four  inches  thick  all  over  the  box,  pat  it  down 
evenly,  then  add  another  layer,  and  that 
down  until  you  reach  a  depth  of  eight  inches. 
Insert  a  thermometer.  In  two  or  three  days, 
the  heat  will  rise  to  a  hundred  or  over,  and 
then  decline  again.  When  it  reaches  ninety, 
make  holes  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  six 
inches  deep  and  a  foot  apart,  all  over  the 
box,  into  which  drop  pieces  of  the  spawn 
about  as  big  as  a  thimble.  Smooth  over 
the  top  to  fill  up  the  holes,  pat  down 
smooth  again,  wait  ten  or  twelve  days, 
then  top  dress  with  two  inches  of  fresh  loam 
all  over  the  surface.  Press  down  smoothly, 
sprinkle  very  lightly  with  water,  and  cover 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

with  three  or  four  inches  of  cut  hay,  straw, 
or  leaves. 

From  five  to  six  weeks  later,  you  should  be 
able  to  gather  a  good  supply.  This  bed  will 
continue  to  yield  during  three  or  four  weeks. 
Then  remove  the  straw,  add  another  two 
inches  of  fresh  earth,  sprinkling  and  recover- 
ing, when  another  crop  will  start.  Later,  when 
the  "home"  is  paying  sufficient  dividends  to 
build  a  proper  mushroom  house,  I  shall  explain 
more  advanced  methods  of  running  what  is  a 
really  profitable  branch  of  fancy  farming. 

HINT   FOR   SALADS 

Place  three  boxes  a  foot  and  a  half  wide, 
two  feet  long,  and  four  inches  deep,  on  an  old 
table  in  a  south  or  southwest  window.  Sow 
half  of  each  box  with  mustard  seed  (sometimes 
called  pepper  grass)  and  the  other  half  with 
cress  seed.  Allow  four  days  between  the 
sowing  of  each  box,  and  after  ten  days  you 
have  a  succession  of  material  for  adding  to 
salads  or  sandwiches  all  through  the  winter. 

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CHAPTER  V 

JANUARY 
HONEY   BEES   AS   WAGE-EARNERS 

TF  the  rent  of  the  farm  selected  for  the 
-*-  self-supporting  home  is  $15  or  $20  a 
month  less  than  the  apartment  or  house 
occupied  in  the  city,  remember  that,  after 
deducting  the  "Goodman's"  commutation 
ticket,  every  cent  for  the  first  few  months 
must  be  devoted  to  purchasing  the  nucleus 
of  the  stock  which  is  to  render  the  home 
self-supporting.  After  the  hens,  ducks,  and 
pigeons  are  established,  money  can  be  de- 
voted to  guinea-fowls  and  bees,  two  members 
of  a  farm  colony  which  bring  heavy  loads  of 
grist  to  the  mill,  and  demand  little  in  return. 
Few  city  people  realize  that  apiculture 
has  developed  into  a  practical  money-making 
industry  during  the  last  twenty  years,  until 

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now  the  average  amount  of  honey  put  on  the 
market  each  year  is  upward  of  a  hundred 
million  pounds,  representing  a  money  value  of 
from  $8,000,000  to  $10,000,000. 

In  a  favorable  locality  one  hive,  with  its 
average  colony  of  thirty-five  thousand  workers 
and  a  queen,  will  turn  out  from  thirty  to  forty 
pounds  of  honey,  besides  the  fifteen  or  twenty 
necessary  to  feed  the  hive  through  the  winter. 

A  few  hives,  in  an  ordinary  country  dis- 
trict, should  each  bring  in  a  clear  $2  a  year 
profit  at  the  lowest  estimate.  On  a  poultry 
and  fruit  farm  where  clover,  sunflower,  and 
millet  are  grown  for  the  poultry,  the  yield  of 
honey  should  be  much  larger,  if  the  apiary 
is  restricted  to  twenty  or  thirty  hives.  Their 
care  wTill  infringe  but  little  on  working  hours. 
They  feed  themselves,  so  expense  is  confined 
to  the  necessary  new  hives  for  the  fresh  col- 
onies, comb  foundations,  and  other  equally 
small  outlays. 

If  you  commence  by  purchasing  a  colony 
and  hive  that  has  been  well  cared  for  during 

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the  winter,  they  will  come  out  strong  in  the 
spring,  the  queen  will  start  laying  again,  and 
each  day  thousands  of  bees  will  be  born, 
soon  causing  the  hive  to  be  so  vastly  crowded 
that  the  old  queen  and  a  swarm  will  issue 
from  the  parent  hive,  leaving  the  young  col- 
ony in  possession  of  the  home  and  stores. 

If  the  old  queen  has  had  her  wings  prop- 
erly clipped  the  season  before,  she  will  not  be 
able  to  fly,  so  will  be  found  on  the  ground 
near  the  hive  with  a  group  of  bees  around  her, 
and  the  principal  swarm  not  very  far  away. 
Approach  very  quietly,  and  place  a  small 
wire  trap  over  the  queen  (the  traps  are 
sold  by  all  bee  supply  firms,  and  cost  25 
cents,  I  think).  Then  place  the  trap  in  the 
opening  of  the  hive  you  desire  the  swarm  to 
occupy,  cautiously  approach  the  full  swarm, 
and  with  a  soft  broom  sweep  the  bees  into 
the  hive,  if  the  position  they  occupy  makes 
it  possible,  as  in  the  picture.  If  not,  use  a 
box  or  pan  and  carry  them  to  the  hive,  and 
empty  them  in  front.  They  will  soon  com- 

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mence  to  occupy  the  new  home.  The  slide 
of  the  queen  trap  can  be  opened,  and  the 
bees  inside  will  settle  down  to  business. 
Should  the  queen  not  have  been  clipped, 
the  swarm  may  all  go  up  in  a  tall  tree,  or 
even  travel  some  distance  and  be  lost,  un- 
less some  one  is  watching.  For  this  reason, 
it  is  well  to  have  the  hives  located  where 
they  are  easily  seen  from  the  house,  and  make 
a  rule  to  inspect  once  or  twice  every  day 
during  the  early  spring.  When  the  swarm- 
ing fever  has  taken  possession  of  the  occu- 
pants, you  will  notice  bees  going  in  and  out 
of  the  hive  in  a  state  of  excitement,  a  sort  of 
bustle  that  will  convey  the  information  that 
something  unusual  is  going  on  inside  the  hive. 
You  may  wonder  that  I  have  said  nothing 
about  stings  during  this  hiving  process.  The 
truth  is,  before  leaving  the  old  home,  all 
the  bees  that  are  going  out  with  the  queen 
load  themselves  with  so  much  honey  to  insure 
food  for  themselves  and  the  royal  mother,  as 
well  as  with  propolis,  —  a  sort  of  gummy  var- 

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nish  which  they  use  to  stop  up  cracks  or 
cover  rough  surfaces,  —  that  they  are  rarely 
able  to  sting;  but  if  nervous,  you  can  sub- 
ject the  main  bunch  to  a  few  whiffs  of  smoke. 
A  queen  never  uses  her  lance  except  on  a 
rival  queen.  This  condition,  of  course,  does 
not  obtain  at  other  times;  so  before  such 
work  as  removing  and  replacing  sections  or 
foundations,  the  smoker  must  be  lighted. 
When  burning  freely  blow  a  few  whiffs  of 
smoke  into  the  entrance  and  about  the  cor- 
ners of  the  hive.  This  stupefies  the  bees,  and 
renders  manipulation  of  them  and  an  inva- 
sion of  their  domain  comparatively  safe; 
though  it  is  always  advisable  to  wear  a  veil 
made  of  mosquito  netting,  to  fit  on  the  hat 
and  hanging  well  down  on  the  shoulders. 
Gloves  can  also  be  worn.  But  the  Italian 
bee,  the  best  to  keep,  is  such  a  gentle  little 
creature  that  familiaritv  will  end  in  the 

V 

gloves  being  discarded. 

After    the    abdicating   queen    and   her   fol- 
lowing have  left  the  old  hive,  there  remain 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

some  few  thousands  of  imperfectly  developed 
females  of  mature  age,  called  "workers,"  a 
few  hundred  males  called  "drones,"  a  few 
thousand  young  workers,  and  many  thousands 
of  eggs  reposing  each  in  its  own  particular 
cell.  The  most  perfect  system  of  govern- 
ment prevails  in  the  hive,  each  individual 
insect  having  allotted  duties,  which  are  ap- 
parently intuitively  understood,  accepted, 
and  conscientiously  performed  in  unerring 
routine,  from  the  hour  of  birth.  When  the 
baby  breaks  from  its  cell,  it  walks  out  into 
the  busy  world  of  the  hive,  and,  after  a  few 
hours,  dips  into  an  unsealed  cell  of  honey 
and  sips  its  first  meal,  not,  however,  to  be 
selfishly  consumed  by  its  own  body,  for  the 
larger  portion  of  this  honey  is  secreted  and, 
after  a  little,  is  converted  into  a  predigested 
milky  food,  the  quality  of  which  this  wonder- 
ful little  nurse  has  the  power  of  regulating 
as  it  wanders  from  cell  to  cell  feeding  the 
one-to-seven-days  old  larvae.  Occupants  of 
royal  cells  receive  the  most  carefully  digested 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

food;  next  in  quality  come  the  workers; 
then  the  drones.  At  the  end  of  six  days, 
the  cells  are  capped  over  by  workers  with 
a  paper-like  surface,  and  the  well-fed,  worm- 
like  occupant  is  left  for  eleven  or  twelve 
days,  during  which  time  it  develops  shape 
and  strength  to  gnaw  its  way  out.  After  the 
six  or  seven  days  of  nursing  duty,  come  six 
or  seven  days  of  building  combs  and  clean- 
ing the  hive;  and  then,  being  strong  enough, 
the  worker  commences  gathering  honey,  a 
task  so  arduous  during  the  summer  that 
her  life  terminates  within  three  months. 

The  first  young  queen  to  issue  from  her 
cell  after  the  old  queen's  abdication  becomes 
the  reigning  sovereign,  maintaining  her  right 
by  might,  tearing  down  all  queen  cells,  and 
killing  any  young  princesses  who  are  making 
their  entry  into  existence.  For  about  a  week 
she  marches  around,  monarch  of  all  she  sur- 
veys, exempt  from  all  toil  or  duty;  then  she 
issues  from  the  hive,  takes  a  few  circles  about, 
and  returns.  Probably  on  the  same  day,  or 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

on  the  day  following,  she  will  take  what  is 
called  the  nuptial  flight,  meet  some  drone  in 
midair,  and  return  some  hours  later  to  be- 
come sole  mother  of  the  hive,  and  to  be  so 
treasured  by  the  colony  that  they  feed  her 
on  royal  jelly  all  her  life,  wash  and  tend  her 
with  the  most  jealous  care.  During  every 
twenty-four  hours  of  a  good  season,  when 
honey  and  pollen  are  plentiful,  a  queen  lays 
from  two  thousand  five  hundred  to  four 
thousand  eggs. 

The  drones,  as  the  name  implies,  are  lazy 
fellows,  not  even  earning  their  own  living, 
and  are  tolerated  by  the  busy  workers  only 
during  the  summer  of  plenty,  being  ruth- 
lessly killed  at  the  first  approach  of  scarcity. 

Our  apiary  started  with  two  hives  and 
their  dormant  occupants,  bought  at  an  auc- 
tion for  $3.  Of  course  it  was  rather  a 
reckless  investment,  because  neither  the 
auctioneer  nor  I  knew  anything  about  bees; 
therefore  the  contents  of  the  hives  was  a  pro- 
found secret.  The  price  being  so  ridicu- 

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lously  small,  it  seemed  wise  to  risk  the  chance 
of  adding  such  busy  workers  to  the  home. 

I  knew  nothing  about  wintering  bees,  but 
as  they  were  standing  upon  a  bench  in  the 
orchard,  I  had  them  carefully  lifted  into  a 
spring  wagon,  instructing  the  driver  to  walk 
his  horses  the  mile  and  a  half  to  our  farm; 
which  he  did  for  one  dollar.  Not  knowing 
just  what  protection  was  required,  we  put  a 
large  packing  case  on  its  side  in  a  sheltered 
corner  of  the  garden,  and  set  the  hives  inside 
it.  As  the  extreme  cold  weather  commenced 
soon  after,  some  boards  were  joined  together 
by  means  of  battens  top  and  bottom,  and 
stood  up  in  front  of  the  case,  on  which  it 
rested  at  the  top,  sloping  out  a  few  inches  on 
the  ground,  so  that  it  kept  the  snow  from 
drifting  in,  yet  allowed  ventilation. 

March  15  the  boards  were  removed,  and 
we  watched  with  much  anxiety  for  the  bees 
to  appear.  Days  went  by  and  we  were  con- 
vinced that  the  hives  were  empty  or  the  in- 
mates frozen  to  death,  but  on  the  last  day  of 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

the  month,  a  few  sleepy-looking  bees  emerged, 
flew  about  for  a  short  time,  and  returned, 
evidently  giving  a  favorable  report  of  the 
weather,  for  the  next  day  a  continuous  stream 
issued  forth  and  hovered  around  the  hives. 
Many  of  the  winter  evenings  had  been  de- 
voted to  studying  bees  and  their  care,  so  I 
had  rudimentary  knowledge  enough  to  realize 
that  as  there  was  little,  if  any,  natural  food 
for  them  to  gather,  it  would  be  advisable  to 
mix  a  syrup  of  sugar  and  water,  and  put  it 
into  shallow  dishes  near  the  hives,  the  motive 
being  to  supply  sufficient  nourishment  to 
stimulate  brood  rearing. 

Not  knowing  what  knowledge  the  previous 
owner  had  possessed,  the  fear  presented 
itself  that  the  queens  might  not  have  had 
their  wings  cut,  so,  as  I  had  no  desire  to  lose 
a  swarm  or  climb  to  impossible  heights  after 
them,  I  screwed  up  my  courage  and  pre- 
pared to  attempt  the  task  of  finding  and 
clipping  the  royal  ladies.  I  had  no  smoker, 
so  a  bundle  of  hay,  slightly  damped,  was  put 

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WHAT  THE  BEES  GIVE  Us 


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into  a  five-pound  lard  pail,  which  had  had  a 
row  of  holes  bored  round  the  bottom  and  in 
the  lid,  so  that,  when  the  hay  was  lighted  and 
the  lid  put  on,  it  would  just  smoulder,  making 
a  dense  smoke  issue  through  the  holes.  The 
contrivance  seemed  all  right,  and  there  was 
smoke  enough  to  blind  me;  yet  when  I 
cautiously  removed  the  top  of  the  hive  and 
commenced  to  take  out  a  frame,  bees  swarmed 
all  over  my  head  and  shoulders.  Fortu- 
nately, I  retained  sufficient  presence  of  mind 
to  remain  perfectly  quiet  until  the  farm  boy, 
who  had  been  watching  near  by,  got  a  large 
bundle  of  hay,  fired  it  and  almost  roasted  me 
before  the  bees  were  sufficiently  stupefied 
to  allow  their  being  brushed  off  and  the 
lid  of  the  hive  replaced,  for  the  horrible  com- 
bination of  fright  and  smoke  had  rendered 
me  quite  incapable  of  further  investigation. 

Through  all  this  stupid  blundering  I  only 
received  one  sting,  but  that  so  amply  illus- 
trated   what    might    happen    that    discretion 
seemed   the   better   part   of   valor.     I   deter- 
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mined  the  hive  should  be  left  in  peace  until 
a  real  smoker  was  procured. '  Two  weeks 
elapsed  before  the  handy  bellows-like  machine 
arrived.  It  cost  75  cents,  but  the  comfort 
of  being  able  to  puff  as  much  smoke  exactly 
where  it  was  wanted,  instead  of  into  one's 
own  eyes  and  throat,  was  worth  many  times 
the  amount. 

Until  I  actually  discovered  the  queen,  it 
seemed  doubtful  that  I  should  recognize  or 
be  able  to  handle  her  even  if  I  did.  How- 
ever, when  seen,  her  noble  ladyship  cannot 
be  mistaken.  Her  shape  and  color  are  so  dif- 
ferent to  all  the  others.  The  delicacy  of  her 
body  makes  handling  her  rather  a  nervous 
proceeding,  but  a  little  care  and  a  pair  of 
fine  manicure  scissors  renders  it  possible  for 
even  such  an  amateur  as  I  was  to  perform 
the  operation  without  hurting  her. 

When  sending  after  the  smoker,  we  ordered 
five  hives  "in  the  flat,"  which  means  the 
material  all  cut  and  ready  to  nail  together. 
These  cost  $9.75,  and  were  easily  built,  as 

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the  proper-sized  nails  and  instructions  came 
with  them. 

The  first  summer  we  had  two  swarms, 
one  from  each  hive,  early  in  the  season. 
This  being  all  the  increase  we  cared  for,  a 
weekly  examination  was  instituted  to  remove 
all  sections  filled  with  honey,  as  soon  as  the 
busy  little  workers  had  sealed  them.  Our 
first  experience  at  wintering  bees  having 
been  quite  satisfactory,  it  has  never  been 
changed,  except  that  the  shelters  are  now 
made  with  slanting  roofs  like  a  chicken-house, 
and  the  last  two  winters  being  so  extremely 
cold,  hay  has  been  packed  round  the  hives. 

Any  one  living  near  New  York  should 
take  advantage  of  the  apiary  established  by 
the  government  in  Van  Cortlandt  Park.  It 
is  well-stocked,  and  the  keeper  is  there  ex- 
pressly to  answer  questions  and  explain  to 
interested  visitors  all  the  different  conditions 
of  the  working  bee  colony. 

Philadelphia  has  the  same  advantage  at 
the  Root  Apiary,  situated  near  the  toll-gate 

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at  Jenkintown.  Here  an  appointment  should 
be  made  two  days  ahead,  to  insure  the  keeper 
being  in  attendance. 

Even  if  you  do  not  care  to  undertake 
another  business,  at  least  keep  one  colony 
for  honey  for  home  consumption. 


THE    POULTRY    YARD 

The  breeding  flocks  must  now  be  made 
up.  If  possible,  confine  every  fifteen  hens 
in  separate  enclosures,  and  for  each  two  such 
enclosures  buy  three  cockerels.  Put  one  in 
each,  and  provide  a  small  separate  coop  and 
yard  for  the  third  one,  alternating  the  three 
birds  each  week. 

If  thirty  or  forty  hens  must  be  kept  together, 
buy  six  cockerels.  Put  three  with  the  hens, 
and  keep  the  other  three  all  together  in  a 
small  yard,  alternating  each  trio  every  week. 

If  all  the  hens  are  running  free,  still  alter- 
nate the  males,  for  by  doing  so  no  favoritism 
can  be  shown. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

A  variety  of  food  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  strongly  fertilized  germs  from  which 
vigorous,  healthy  chicks  are  sure  to  come. 

The  best  way  to  convince  you  of  the 
advisability  of  following  my  coming  sugges- 
tions for  winter  feeding  will  be  to  give,  in  a 
condensed  and  simple  form,  the  chemical 
analysis  of  the  egg :  — 

Water 650  grains 

Albuminoids 80  grains 

Oil  fat,  etc 135  grains 

Mineral  matter 9  grains 

Sugar,  coloring  matter,  etc.        .         .       26  grains 

900  grains 

The  remaining  hundred  parts  of  the  thou- 
sand of  an  egg  are  used  in  the  shell,  which 
contains  about  fifty  grains  of  salt  of  lime,  and 
about  fifty  grains  of  pure  uncombined  lime 
(calcium  oxide),  the  remainder  being  carbolic 
acid,  water  of  crystallization,  etc. 

Perhaps  a  short  explanation  of  even  this 
simple  analysis  may  be  helpful.  Albumi- 
noids are  the  flesh-forming  parts  of  food, 

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usually  alluded  to  as  nitrogenous.  Oil  fat, 
etc.,  are  merged  under  the  heading  of  carbon, 
necessary  for  fat  and  warmth.  Mineral 
matter  consists  of  lime,  soda,  potash,  mag- 
nesia, sulphur,  etc. 

Please  don't  imagine  that  the  simplifying 
process  of  this  analysis  is  any  reflection  on 
your  knowledge  and  understanding.  It  is 
prompted  entirely  by  the  hazy  condition  such 
reading  matter  used  to  leave  my  poor  brain 
in,  when  I  began  seriously  to  study  cause 
and  effect  in  poultry  culture.  Experience, 
however,  showed  me  the  common  sense  of 
much  that,  at  first,  seemed  theoretical  jumble, 
because  of  the  involved  technical  terms;  so 
as  I  read  and  digested  different  authorities, 
a  notebook  was  compiled  for  my  own  use, 
containing  the  gist  of  each  article,  in  the 
simplest  terms  possible,  to  convey  the  infor- 
mation. During  the  last  nine  years  prac- 
tical tests  of  the  value  and  benefit  to  be 
derived  from  each  individual  item  have  been 
made.  When,  as  sometimes  happened,  a 

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statement  did  not  "prove,"  it  was  cut  out;  so 
now  I  flatter  myself  there  is  little  left  in  the 
book  which  is  not  tested,  tried  and  true, 
fully  worthy  of  attention,  for  it  will  save  you 
much  groping  in  a  wrong  direction. 

Knowing  the  material  necessary  for  the 
egg,  no  one  ought  to  be  foolish  enough  to 
expect  Biddy  to  produce  a  goodly  supply, 
unless  she  is  provided  with  the  necessary 
ingredients.  Farmers  complain  that  hens 
lay  all  the  eggs  in  the  spring,  when  they  are 
hardly  worth  the  trouble  of  marketing,  but 
the  moment  the  price  goes  up,  they  stop. 
Well,  it's  the  farmer's  fault.  In  the  spring, 
hens  that  run  loose  get  every  element  necessary 
to  the  formation  of  the  egg,  but  in  the  cold 
Weather  insects  and  green  foods  are  scarce, 
and  want  of  material  stops  production. 

Having,  I  hope,  convinced  you  of  the 
common-sense  advantage  of  balanced  rations, 
the  next  consideration  is  what  ordinary, 
farm-grown  feeds  best  and  most  cheaply 
supply  Biddy's  wants. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

We  will  start  with  the  foods  which  give 
the  greatest  quantity  of  lime,  because  it  is 
needed  for  shell  and  some  fractional  part 
of  the  mineral  matter  in  the  white  and  yolk, 
which  is  most  essential,  as  it  is  converted 
during  incubation  into  bone  for  the  develop- 
ing chicken. 

Clover  hay,  linseed  meal,  and  wheat  bran 
contain  about  six  pounds  of  lime  in  every  hun- 
dred pounds.  Turnip  tops,  beets,  carrots,  and 
all  grasses,  also  have  a  goodly  percentage. 

Flesh  comes  from  nitrogenous  or  albumen  al 
foods,  first  of  which  are  beef,  linseed  meal, 
middlings,  bran,  clover  hay,  oats,  wheat, 
skimmed  milk.  Fat  and  heat  we  get  from 
carbonaceous  provenders,  of  which  corn  and 
buckwheat  come  first,  closely  followed  by 
oats,  wheat,  rye,  clover  hay,  linseed  meal,  and 
milk  unskimmed. 

Mineral  matter  —  lime,  soda,  potash,  mag- 
nesia, sulphur  —  is  principally  formed  by 
the  action  of  digestion,  reducing  the  matter 
containing  these  ingredients  to  ash. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

The  usual  troubles  assailing  poultry  on 
general  farms  come  from  the  feeding  of 
only  one  of  any  of  these  elements;  so  poor 
Biddy  has  to  eat  all  flesh  and  no  warmth,  or 
all  fat  and  no  flesh.  Kill  a  bird  that  has  been 
fed  on  corn  only,  and  it  will  be  heavy  with 
layers  of  internal  fat,  but  showing  a  very  poor 
depth  of  breast  meat.  Balancing  rations  — 
trying  to  equalize  flesh,  fat  (warmth),  and 
mineral  —  is  not  a  very  hard  proposition  when 
the  values  of  even  a  few  grains  and  plants 
are  realized. 

Having  read  so  far,  you  will  now  realize 
that  clover  hay,  linseed  meal,  bran,  wheat, 
oats,  beef  scraps,  and  skimmed  milk  con- 
tain almost  all  the  equivalents  for  summer 
weather  food.  The  addition,  therefore,  of 
corn,  buckwheat,  or  rye  in  cold  weather 
are  safe  and  simple  if  given  only  as  warmth 
makers.  Never  allow  the  proportion  to 
exceed  what  is  needed  for  that  purpose,  or 
fat  will  be  made  and  stored  internally,  neu- 
tralizing all  your  other  care.  In  other  words, 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

the  hen  fed  on  corn  only,  in  order  to  accu- 
mulate the  ten  parts  of  flesh  and  twenty 
parts  of  fat  needed  for  the  egg,  will  be  com- 
pelled to  acquire  fifty  parts  more  fat  than 
she  requires. 

Now  do  you  see  why  corn  is  both  danger- 
ous and  expensive  as  an  exclusive  food, 
though  as  a  fuel  provider  on  a  cold  winter 
night  it  has  few  equals? 

Green  bone  and  water  alone  now  remain 
for  consideration.  The  former  is  without 
doubt  the  best  of  egg  foods,  qualifying  as  it 
does  in  nearly  all  the  needed  elements. 
Fresh  bone  from  the  butcher  can  be  bought 
for  about  two  cents  a  pound,  and  contains 
the  natural  meat  juices,  —  blood,  gristle,  oil, 
and  mineral  matter,  —  in  soluble  condition, 
which  renders  it  easy  of  digestion,  especially 
for  birds.  Almost  all  the  components  for 
eggs,  —  white,  yolk,  and  shell,  —  in  the  most 
concentrated  form,  are  there,  so  if  eggs  are 
to  be  profitable,  it  must  not  be  neglected. 
When  it  is  impossible  to  obtain  the  green  or 

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fresh  bone,  the  ground,  sold  especially  for 
poultry,  can  be  used,  though  it  is  not  half 
so  satisfactory,  because  the  drying  process 
which  it  has  to  submit  to  before  grinding 
leaves  little  but  the  phosphate  of  lime  and 
earthy  matter,  which  clover  and  bran  fur- 
nish in  a  better  form.  At  least  half  the  egg 
is  composed  of  water,  surely  reason  sufficient 
for  impressing  the  importance  of  a  pure 
fresh  supply,  always  accessible,  in  clean 
dishes. 

The  foregoing  will  enable  those  who  want 
to  make  up  combinations,  from  materials 
at  hand,  which  will  include  the  necessary 
elements  to  select  for  themselves. 


THE   GUINEA-FOWL 

A  trio  of  ordinary  guineas  costs  about  $2, 
the  pure  white,  $4  or  $5.  They  need  no 
special  house,  all  that  is  necessary  for  their 
comfort  being  a  roost  high  up  in  a  shed.  If 
left  to  themselves  they  take  to  the  trees,  and 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

in  all  probability  will  get  frozen  if  the  winters 
should  be  very  severe,  so  the  safest  plan  with 
new  birds  is  to  cover  the  front  of  a  shed  with 
two-inch  wire  netting,  just  tacking  it  up 
lightly,  so  that  it  can  easily  be  removed  at 
the  end  of  two  or  three  weeks,  when  they 
are  accustomed  to  their  new  quarters. 

While  they  are  prisoners,  feed  the  trio  two  or 
three  times  a  day;  about  half  a  pint  of  mixed 
wheat  and  cracked  corn  night  and  morning, 
and  at  noon  about  half  the  quantity  of  grain, 
with  a  little  chopped  meat  or  ground  bone, 
alternating  with  vegetables.  All  this  food 
should  be  cut  quite  small,  or  the  guineas  will 
not  eat  it.  Like  other  birds,  they  must  have 
a  constant  supply  of  sharp  grit  and  fresh  water. 

They  are  extremely  shy,  very  wild,  and 
suspicious  of  strange  persons  and  places. 
Hence  the  necessity  of  their  long  imprison- 
ment. The  old  home  once  forgotten  and 
the  new  one  adopted,  this  very  trait,  which 
seems  at  first  disadvantageous,  renders  them 
as  valuable  guardians  of  your  property  as 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

the  watch  dog,  in  fact,  so  far  as  the  poultry 
is  concerned,  better,  for  they  seem  to  pos- 
sess intuition  of  a  hawk's  approach,  and 
their  shrill  cry  frightens  the  chicken  thieves 
more  effectually  than  a  gun. 

My  stock  began  with  a  trio  from  which  the 
first  summer  we  raised  thirty-two.  We  sold 
four  pairs  at  six  months  old  for  a  dollar  a 
pair,  used  eight  pairs  on  our  table,  and  kept 
eight  for  stock. 

As  a  market  commodity  they  have  been 
growing  in  favor  for  the  last  five  years,  since, 
like  squabs,  they  take  the  place  of  game 
during  the  closed  season. 

Guinea-fowls  commence  laying  when  the 
first  warm  days  come  in  April.  As  it  is  their 
natural  instinct  to  be  very  secretive  about 
laying,  some  patience  and  diplomacy  are 
necessary  to  locate  their  nests.  The  usual 
spot  selected  is  a  hollow  in  the  ground,  by 
the  root  of  a  tree  or  fence  post  well  screened 
by  brush.  Don't  attempt  to  approach  it 
while  they  are  in  sight.  Go  away,  and  re- 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

turn  later  armed  with  a  long-handled  spoon. 
The  eggs  are  almost  the  color  of  the  earth 
and  often  covered  with  fallen  leaves,  so  it 
needs  a  sharp  eye  to  detect  them.  Be  very 
careful  not  to  touch  the  nest  with  your  hand. 
Guineas  seem  able  to  scent  the  human  hand 
about  the  nest,  they  can  also  count  up  to 
three.  For  that  reason  leave  that  number 
of  eggs  in  the  nest,  removing  the  others 
with  the  spoon  to  insure  there  being  no  tell- 
tale clew  left  to  arouse  Mrs.  Guinea's  suspicion. 
When  you  have  fifteen  stolen  eggs,  get  a 
box  a  foot  square,  turn  it  on  the  side,  and 
across  the  bottom  of  the  open  front  nail  a 
slat,  behind  which  place  a  nest  of  soft  hay. 
Stand  this  nest  box  inside  (at  one  end)  of 
another  box,  two  and  a  half  feet  long,  with 
sides  a  foot  or  more  deep.  Make  a  cover 
of  wire  netting  for  the  large  box,  to  open  like 
a  lid.  Scatter  sand  on  the  floor,  nail  up  a 
small  drinking  pan  in  one  corner,  and  you 
have  a  safe,  rat-proof  coop  for  Biddy  and 
the  eggs.  Another  motive  for  the  outer  box 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

is  that  baby  guineas  are  so  very  little,  so  wild, 
and  so  easily  frightened,  that  they  are  apt 
to  quit  the  nest  as  soon  as  hatched,  get  lost, 
become  chilled,  and  die. 

It  takes  from  twenty-five  to  twenty-six 
days  to  incubate  guinea  eggs.  The  brood 
coop  to  be  used  the  first  two  weeks  should 
be  on  the  same  principle  as  the  nest  boxes, 
and  even  when  they  are  on  the  grass  run, 
you  must  exercise  the  greatest  caution  to 
avoid  anything  like  cracks  and  crevices  in 
or  around  the  sides,  for  they  are  such  mites, 
and  have  such  capacities  for  getting  through 
the  eyes  of  needles,  that  special  care  is  nec- 
essary. If  some  knot-hole  or  some  depres- 
sion in  the  ground  has  escaped  your  vigilance 
and  a  baby  does  stray  off,  go  about  two  yards 
away  and  remain  perfectly  still.  Don't  be 
impatient.  It  may  be  ten  minutes  before 
you  hear  anything.  Then,  unless  all  hope 
is  over,  you  will  hear  a  plaintive  little  cry. 
Do  not  move  until  it  has  been  repeated  three 
or  four  times,  and  you  are  quite  sure  where 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

it  comes  from.  Then  make  a  sudden  dive 
and  secure  the  truant,  which  is  usually  under 
a  tuft  of  grass  or  in  some  little  hole.  If  you 
move  about  while  hunting  for  him,  there 
won't  be  a  sound,  and  you  may  search  all 
day  with  little  success. 


BILL   OF   FARE   FOR   BABY   GUINEAS 

Give  nothing  for  the  first  twenty-four 
hours,  then  the  daily  bill  of  fare  should  be  as 
follows :  First  feed,  7  A.M.  —  Crushed  hemp- 
seed,  half  a  cup;  stale  bread  crumbs,  half  a 
cup;  moisten  with  raw  eggs. 

Second  feed,  9  A.M.  —  Millet  seed. 

Third  feed,  11.30  A.M.  —  Chopped  onion 
tops,  half  a  cup  of  corn  meal  that  has  been 
steamed  as  for  chicks,  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
crushed  mustard  seed,  mixed  and  fed  crum- 
blingly. 

Fourth  feed,  2  P.M.  —  Pinhead  oats, 
crushed  a  little  finer  than  it  is  when  bought. 

Fifth  feed,  5  P.M.  —  Liver  that  has  been 
11% 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

half-boiled,  cracked  wheat  and  corn,  equal 
parts. 

These  bills  of  fare  can  be  varied  with  pot 
cheese,  custard,  chopped  lettuce  or  apple, 
bread  crumbs  moistened  with  milk,  hard- 
boiled  eggs,  but  every  day  they  must  have 
meat  (more  than  chicks  need),  and  pepper 
or  mustard  seed  crushed  and  fed  in  soft 
wood.  Keep  a  small  pan  of  powdered 
charcoal  and  sand  in  the  run,  and,  of  course, 
water  in  a  drinking  fountain  that  will  allow 
only  the  beak  to  get  wet. 

The  first  eggs  I  stole  out  of  old  "Coque- 
lin's"  nest  (that  was  the  name  we  gave  one 
of  the  first  guineas  we  had)  I  placed  under  a 
little  bantam  hen,  and  she  brought  off  every 
one.  When  she  tried  to  leave  them  after 
six  weeks,  she  and  I  both  discovered  that 
to  hatch  guinea  chicks  was  a  much  greater 
responsibility  than  any  ordinary  hen  ever 
contemplates.  Their  mother  is  their  mother, 
and  can  be  nothing  else  until  the  following 
spring.  Then  they  mate,  and  mamma  is 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

deserted.  That  whole  summer  those  nine 
guineas  would  sit  solemnly  round  that  little 
bantam  while  she  laid,  and  they  always 
trotted  into  the  chicken-house  and  roosted 
on  either  side  of  her.  That  is  one  of  the 
reasons  why  it  is  good  to  hatch  these  little 
birds  under  hens,  —  all  trouble  in  getting  them 
to  behave  like  domestic  house-living  birds  is 
solved. 

For  home  and  our  own  consumption,  we 
cross  the  speckled  and  white  varieties,  because 
it  improves  the  color  and  flavor  of  the  flesh, 
which  resembles  that  of  the  English  grouse 
so  closely  that  we  consider  guineas  one  of 
the  luxuries  country  life  has  supplied  us. 
Our  method  of  preparing  is  simple,  but  most 
appetizing. 

Birds  killed  at  least  twenty-five  hours 
before  required.  A  generous  tablespoonful 
of  butter,  an  onion  split  in  four,  a  green  pep- 
per divided  in  a  like  manner,  are  placed  in 
the  body  of  the  bird,  which  is  then  trussed, 
covered  with  salt  pork,  laid  in  a  roasting-pan 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

breast  down.  After  twenty-five  minutes  of  a 
quick  oven,  the  pork  is  removed,  bird  turned 
on  to  back,  covered  with  a  dredging  of  flour, 
pepper,  and  salt,  then  replaced  in  the  oven 
to  brown.  The  result  is  a  deliciously  flavored 
delicacy  when  served  with  brown  gravy  made 
from  giblet  stock  in  which  an  onion,  stuck 
with  cloves,  half  an  inch  from  the  end  of  an 
unpeeled  lemon,  peppercorns,  and  salt,  have 
been  simmered.  Strain,  and  add  half  a 
wine  glass  of  port  wine,  a  tablespoonful  of 
red  currant  jelly.  Bread  sauce  also  accom- 
panies roast  guinea-fowl,  to  accentuate  the 
resemblance  to  game. 


115 


CHAPTER  VI 

FEBRUARY 

rTlHERE  is  a  feeling  of  responsibility  about 
-•-  the  acquisition  of  an  incubator  that 
seems  to  inculcate  a  practical  business  spirit 
most  satisfactory  to  the  evolution  of  a  self- 
supporting  condition;  so  do  not  hesitate  to 
buy  one,  even  if  a  few  dollars  have  to  be 
borrowed  from  the  master  of  the  house  or 
the  emergency  fund. 

Early  spring  broilers  are  so  profitable  that 
every  effort  should  be  made  to  produce 
them.  Hens  cannot  be  depended  on  to 
hatch  in  February  —  or  even  March,  if  the 
weather  remains  cold;  and  chickens,  weigh- 
ing from  three  quarters  of  a  pound  to  a 
pound  and  a  quarter  when  dressed,  will  bring 
50  cents  a  pound  in  March  and  April. 

The  up-to-date  incubator  is  so  well  made 
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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

and  so  easy  to  operate  that  any  one  with 
ordinary  intelligence  and  straight  common 
sense  need  have  no  fear  of  undertaking  the 
care  of  it. 

There  are  many  different  makes  of  in- 
cubators; some  are  heated  by  steam,  others 
by  hot  air.  Personally,  I  prefer  the  latter, 


THE  MACHINE  UPSIDE  DOWN 


as  there  are  no  water  tanks  to  spring  leaks. 
A  machine  holding  one  hundred  and  twenty 
eggs  is  a  convenient  size,  and  costs  about 
$20  from  any  of  the  best  firms. 

For    safety   during  transit,   incubators   are 
shipped    with    the    legs,    lamp-stand,    ther- 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

mostat,  or  regulator-arm  being  attached;  so, 
after  uncrating  the  new  machine,  the  first 
consideration  is  to  connect  these  parts. 
Screws  of  correct  size  are  sent,  and  the 
easiest  method  of  proceeding  is  to  turn  the 
machine  upside  down  on  the  floor  and  fix 
the  lamp-stand  in  place,  being  careful  that  the 
block  of  wood  at  the  end  of  stand,  on  which 
the  lamp  really  rests,  is  immediately  and 
evenly  below  the  opening  of  the  heater 
chimney.  After  the  stand  or  support  is  in 
place,  should  the  block  lean  to  the  right  or 
left,  the  support,  which  is  made  of  metal, 
can  easily  be  bent  while  the  machine  is  up- 
side down.  Try  putting  the  lamp  in  place, 
to  ascertain  if  the  angle  of  support  is  correct 
to  insure  the  neck  of  chimney  fitting  evenly 
round  the  burner.  The  slightest  inaccuracy 
in  the  contact  of  the  two  circles  will  cause 
the  lamp  to  smoke ;  soot  will  accumulate  and 
ignite,  and  in  all  probability  it  will  end  in  con- 
suming machine  and  contents  in  the  middle 
of  the  hatch. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

After  the  lamp-support  is  in  place  and 
properly  adjusted,  put  two  empty  boxes  about 
twenty-four  inches  high,  a  little  over  a  foot 
from  and  parallel  with  the  back  and  front  of 
the  incubator,  which  is  to  be  lifted  up  and 
turned  over  to  rest  on  the  boxes  whilst  the 
legs  are  put  in  place.  Be  careful  that  they 
fit  evenly  against  the  machine;  then  make  a 
hole  with  a  small  gimlet  where  the  manu- 
facturer's marks  indicate  the  screws  ought  to 


THERMOSTAT 


be  inserted.  The  punctures  must  be  per- 
fectly straight,  as  any  diversion  would  prevent 
the  screws  going  "home  truly"  and  in  all 
probability  throw  the  legs  crooked. 

The  next  important  item  is  accuracy  in 
connecting  the  thermostat,  which  goes  inside 
the  machine,  to  the  regulator-arm,  which  fits 
into  a  pivot  at  the  top  of  the  machine,  and 
which  is  accomplished  by  means  of  the  wire 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

connecting  rod,  on  whose  nicety  of  responsive- 
ness to  pressure  depends  the  self-regulating 
possibilities  of  the  modern  incubator.  Unless 
its  passage  through  the  several  attachments 
is  uniformly  even  and  free  from  friction,  the 
value  of  the  thermostat  is  lost.  This  will  be 
obvious  when  the  method  of  controlling  heat 
is  understood. 

The  thermostat  is  composed  of  a  combina- 
tion of  such  materials  as  aluminum  and  steel. 


THE  BEGULATOR-ARM 


Being  extremely  sensitive  to  heat,  it  expands 
and  contracts  with  every  fluctuation  of  tem- 
perature within  the  incubator.  The  regu- 
lator-arm has  a  counterbalance  ball  at  one 
end  and  a  metal  disk  at  the  other,  and  when 
it  rests  on  the  pivot  which  is  fixed  at  the  top 
of  the  machine,  the  disk  should  be  suspended 
directly  over  the  lamp  chimney.  The  con- 
necting rod  has  two  nuts  at  the  top,  and  one 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

at  the  lower  end;  the  latter  is  removed  en- 
tirely, and  the  former  loosened  to  the  extrem- 
ity of  the  rod,  before  it  is  run  through  the 
regulator-arm  and  pivot  on  the  exterior,  and 
through  the  hot  air  space  and  thermostat  in 
the  interior  of  the  machine;  at  which  point 


the  lower  nut  is  replaced  and  screwed  up  to 
hold  the  thermostat  closely  against  the  burlap 
ceiling  of  the  egg-chamber. 

After  the  lamp  is  lighted  and  the  machine 
heated  to  one  hundred  and  two  and  a  half 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

degrees,  the  top  or  regulating  nut  on  the  con- 
necting-rod, immediately  above  the  regulator- 
arm,  is  screwed  down  until  the  disk  is  raised 
one-fourth  of  an  inch  above  the  chimney  — 
such  adjustment  being  considered  by  manu- 
facturers and  expert  operators  as  most  desir- 
able for  incubation.  The  machine  once  being 
"set"  for  this  degree  of  temperature,  any 
excess  of  heat  causes  the  thermostat  to  ex- 
pand, which  makes  it  press  on  the  lower  nut 
of  the  connecting-rod ;  so  instituting  a  tension 
that  influences  the  regulator-arm  at  the  point 
of  balance,  raising  the  disk  over  the  lamp 
chimney  in  sympathetic  conjunction  with  the 
thermostat. 

Reverse  the  condition  to  a  dying  lamp  or 
sudden  cold  wave,  and  of  course  the  thermo- 
stat contracts,  and  general  release  of  pressure 
allows  the  regulator-arm  to  resume  a  normal 
balance,  which  permits  the  disk  to  lie  closely 
down  on  the  chimney.  It  will  be  readily 
conceded  that  on  a  correct  adjustment  of  the 
machine  before  starting  the  hatch  depends 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

the  operator's  peace  of  mind  and  subsequent 
success. 

An  appropriate  location  for  the  incubator 
also  needs  due  consideration.  The  cellar, 
if  well  ventilated  and  dry,  is  the  best  place; 
but  underground  places  in  farm-houses,  in 
which  fruit  or  vegetables  are  stored,  cannot 
be  properly  aired  in  frosty  weather.  A  room 
on  the  first  floor  is  the  next  best  location,  if 
it  can  be  spared,  for  then  the  window  can 
be  opened  a  little  from  the  top  every  day, 
no  matter  what  the  weather.  Draughts  must 
be  avoided;  they  are  apt  to  drive  the  air 
in  one  direction  in  the  egg  chamber,  when  it 
should  be  evenly  distributed  over  all  the  eggs. 
This  same  trouble  will  arise  unless  the 
machine  stands  evenly.  A  carpenter's  spirit 
level  should  be  used  when  the  machine  is 
set  up,  to  insure  this. 

The  incubator  being  properly  located,  fill 
the  lamp,  light,  and  hang  in  place,  using  only 
a  moderate  flame  at  first.  Leave  all  the  ven- 
tilators open  for  a  few  hours,  to  thoroughly 

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air  the  machine;  then  close  and  proceed  to 
adjust  the  regulator  so  that  an  even  tempera- 
ture of  one  hundred  and  two  and  a  half 
degrees,  with  the  disk  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
above  the  lamp  chimney,  is  steadily  main- 
tained for  twelve  hours  before  setting  the 
eggs.  Patience  and  scrupulous  exactness  at 
first  will  save  accident  and  loss  later. 

When  the  cold  trays  and  eggs  are  first  put 
in,  the  temperature  will  run  down,  but  do 
not  turn  up  the  lamp  or  alter  the  regulators. 
As  the  eggs  gradually  become  warm,  the 
thermometer  will  creep  up  again.  After  the 
first  day,  the  trays  must  be  taken  out  every 
night  and  morning,  and  the  eggs  turned  and 
allowed  to  cool  to  ninety  degrees.  The  time 
allowed  for  the  process  must  be  regulated 
by  the  atmosphere  of  the  room;  if  very  cold, 
five  minutes  may  be  enough;  if  moderate, 
twenty  or  thirty  may  be  needed.  They  must 
not  be  allowed  to  chill,  but  the  more  airing 
they  get  under  that  point,  the  stronger  the 
chickens  when  hatched. 

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THE  HEAD  HERDSMAN 


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The  eggs  should  be  tested  on  the  seventh 
and  fifteenth  days.  This  is  best  done  by  a 
block-tin  device  sold  by  all  incubator  com- 
panies. 

Infertile  eggs  appear  quite  clear  when 
placed  before  the  spot  through  which  the 
light  shines.  They  can  be  used,  when  boiled 
hard,  to  feed  the 
young  chicks  when 
they  arrive. 

Weak  or  dead 
germs  are  difficult 
for  the  amateur  to 
distinguish,  so  sac- 
rifice two  or  three 
that  look  pale  and 
undeveloped  in  contrast  to  strong,  unmistak- 
ably vigorous  ones.  Break  the  doubtful  ones 
into  a  saucer  and  study  closely.  If  there 
are  many  you  are  doubtful  about,  mark 
them  with  a  pencil  and  test  again  on  the 
tenth  or  twelfth  day.  When  an  egg  con- 
taining a  strong  germ  is  held  up  to  the 

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light  of  the  tester,  a  solid  spot  about  the 
size  of  a  pea,  from  which  vinelike  tendrils 
extend,  can  distinctly  be  seen  floating  about 
the  centre  of  the  egg.  Dead  germs,  on  the 
contrary,  usually  adhere  to  one  side.  Only 
experience  enables  one  to  test  with  certainty. 

You  may  ask,  why  risk  taking  any  out? 
The  answer  is,  a  dead  germ  causes  the  whole 
egg  to  decompose.  The  shell  being  porous,  the 
harmful  gases  escape  into  the  incubator  and 
poison  the  air  on  which  the  embryo  chicks  feed. 

To  regulate  the  necessary  ventilators  is 
even  more  difficult  than  to  keep  the  heat  even. 
The  guide  is  the  air  space  at  the  top,  or  large 
end,  of  the  egg.  If  this  expands  too  quickly, 
there  is  too  much  ventilation;  if  too  slowly, 
there  is  not  sufficient.  The  safest  way  to 
study  this  point  is  to  get  one  or  two  broody 
hens,  set  them  at  the  same  time  as  the  incu- 
bator, then  ventilate  so  as  to  have  the  incu- 
bator eggs  exactly  equal  to  those  under  the 
hens. 

After  turning  the  eggs  and  replacing  in 
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the  machine  on  the  morning  of  the  nineteenth 
day,  do  not  open  the  door  again  until  the 
twenty-second  day.  To  a  beginner,  this  is  a 
most  difficult  exercise  of  patience.  More 
chicks  found  dead  in  the  shell  are  due  to 


opening  the  door  and  taking  out  those  newly 
hatched,  than  to  any  other  cause.  This  late 
opening  allows  the  moisture  to  escape  just 
when  it  is  most  necessary. 

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POULTRY   YARD 

The  mature  hens  which  are  to  furnish  the 
eggs  for  the  incubator  need  special  care. 
Should  the  weather  be  excessively  cold,  it 
will  be  advisable  to  remove  the  roosts  and  fill 
the  corners  with  large  piles  of  bedding  hay. 
Natural  instinct  will  make  the  birds  climb 
to  the  highest  available  spot  to  roost,  which 
will  compel  them  to  crouch  on  the  hay,  where 
their  own  weight  will  gradually  sink  them 
sufficiently  to  provide  a  warm  bed  and  pre- 
vent all  danger  of  frozen  combs  and  feet, 
which  is  much  to  be  desired,  not  only  from  a 
humane  standpoint,  but  selfishly;  for  any- 
thing which  militates  against  the  hen's  tran- 
quillity and  comfort  affects  her  productive 
powers. 

The  best  supper  for  zero  nights  is  un- 
doubtedly the  much-condemned  whole  corn. 
Fill  shallow  pans  early  in  the  afternoon,  and 
place  in  the  oven  to  heat ;  but  remember  that 
when  fed,  it  must  only  be  warm.  Fill  drink- 

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ing  pans  three  times  a  day  with  water  from 
which  the  chill  has  been  removed;  leave 
fifteen  minutes,  and  empty.  Keep  up  the 
supply  of  crushed  bone  and  lean  meat  and 
some  sort  of  green  food ;  then  there  will  be 
more  fertile  eggs  and  stronger  chicks. 

Our  first  February  on  the  farm  was  one 
continuous  snow-storm,  rendering  out-of-door 
work  impossible.  So,  realizing  that  even  with 
our  incubator  and  brooders  at  work,  some 
families  would  have  to  be  reared  under  hens, 
leisure  daylight  hours  were  occupied  in  build- 
ing coops,  the  dimensions  of  which  were :  — 

Two  feet  wide,  two  and  a  half  deep,  two 
feet  high  in  front,  and  one  and  a  half  in  back, 
roof  to  extend  three  inches  beyond  the  sides 
all  around.  The  floor  fits  inside  and  has 
two  cleats  of  four  by  four,  nailed  on  three 
inches  from  the  back  and  front,  and  extend- 
ing an  inch  and  a  half  out  each  side.  The 
sides  of  the  top,  too,  have  corresponding 
pieces  cut  out,  so  that  the  coop  fits  down 
over  the  edge  of  the  floor  on  to  the  cleats. 
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To  clean  you  have  only  to  lift  the  coop  off 
the  floor;  and  the  cleats  raise  the  coop  from 
the  ground,  so  preventing  it  from  being  damp. 
In  front,  cut  an  opening  nine  inches  high, 
seven  wide,  and  make  a  slat  door  to  fit  over 
it,  which  will  allow  the  chicks  to  run  in  and 


FEED  TROUGH  MADE  FROM  FOUR  STRAIGHT  PIECES  OF  BOARD 

out.  Hang  the  door  inside  the  coop  from 
the  top.  This  has  the  advantage  that  the 
hen  can't  push  it  open,  but  when  she  is  to 
come  out,  it  can  be  hooked  up  out  of  the 
way,  leaving  the  outside  of  the  coop  free  for 
the  night  door,  which  should  be  made  of 

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half-inch  wire  netting,  to  allow  ventilation 
and  prevent  chicks  from  getting  out  or  night 
prowlers  from  getting  in.  To  make  the 
house  quite  safe  from  summer  showers,  cover 
with  roofing  paper  or  paint. 

If  you  have  many  families,  time  will  not 
allow  all  to  be  provided  with  such  model 
dwellings;  so  you  may  have  to  resort  to  a 
barrel  tipped  over  on  its  side.  If  so,  prepare 
some  stakes,  which  will  be  needed  on  each 
side  to  fix  it  when  placed  for  use.  To  make  it 
habitable,  throw  three  or  four  shovelfuls  of  dry 
earth  into  it,  and  on  that  some  cut  hay.  Make 
a  gate  of  slats  for  the  front  to  keep  Biddy  in, 
and  cover  all  over  the  top  with  roofing  paper, 
putting  a  straight  strip  about  four  inches  deep 
across  the  top  of  the  front,  to  prevent  rain 
from  beating  in.  A  light  piece  of  wood  put 
up  against  the  slat  door  and  held  in  place  by 
a  stone  will  close  up  safely  for  the  night. 

Individual  drinking  fountains  will  also  be 
required,  and  though  the  correct  galvanized 
ones  cost  only  thirty-five  cents  for  the  quart 

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size,  many  become  a  consideration;  so  well- 
made  cans,  such  as  syrup  or  tomatoes  come  in, 
should  be  collected  and  cleaned,  and  a  hole  a 
little  larger  than  a  pea  punched  half  an  inch 
from  the  edge.  This  can  be  accomplished 
by  placing  the  point  of  a  large  nail  against 
the  inside  of  the  can  as  it  lies  on  the  work- 


bench, and  hitting  the  head  a  sharp  blow  with 
the  hammer.  Deep  pie  plates  one  inch  wider 
than  the  circumference  of  the  can  were 
bought  at  seven  cents  each,  and  converted 
the  old  can  into  a  self -feeding  water  fountain, 
in  which  no  chick  could  possibly  commit 
suicide  or  even  get  itself  wet  enough  to  cause 
chill  and  bowel  trouble. 

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The  long  evenings  gave  us  plenty  of  time 
to  plan  the  garden  on  paper  and  make  our 
seed  lists,  all  of  which  saved  time  when  it 
was  of  greater  value.  Every  family  will,  of 
course,  have  especially  preferred  vegetables  to 
take  precedence  over  others,  so  individual 
taste  alone  can  determine  the  allotted  space 
for  each  variety.  Our  selection  plan  was 
made  with  due  regard  for  table,  pickles,  and 
preserves,  all  of  which  it 
bountifully  supplied. 
Therefore  if  your  dis- 
crimination on  such  sub- 
jects is  too  undeveloped 
as  yet  to  be  trusted,  accept  our  experience 
this  year;  by  next  you  will  know  how  to 
reconstruct  it  to  your  personal  needs.  When 
planning  out  on  paper,  the  second  crop 
should  be  considered  as  well  as  the  spring 
sowings.  Then  there  will  be  no  uncertainty 
and  loss  of  time  later. 


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Vegetable  Seeds 

1  pk.  of  "  Bovee  "  Potatoes  for  early  garden  crop     .         .   $  .75 

1  oz.  Carrots,  "  Oxheart " 10 

1  pkg.  Cauliflower,  "  Early  Snowball " 25 

1  pkg.  Celery 10 

2  oz.  Beets 20 

1  pkg.  Brussels  Sprouts 10 

1  pkg.  each  of  "  Jersey  Wakefield  "  and  "  Autumn  King  " 

Cabbage 15 

1  oz.  Kale,  "  Dwarf  Green  " 10 

1  oz.  Lettuce,  "  Boston  Market " 15 

1  pt.  Peas,  "  First  of  All " 15 

ipt.  Peas,  "Petit  Paris" 10 

1  qt.  Peas,  "  Champion  of  England  " 30 

1  pkg.  Turnips,  "  Early  Flat  Dutch  " 05 

1  pkg.  Turnips,  "  Purple  Top  Aberdeen  "...      .05 

1  pkg.  Turnips,  "  Ruta  Baga  " 10 

1  qt.  White  Onion  sets 25 

1  qt.  Red  Onion  sets 25 

1  oz.  "  Prizetaker  "  Onion  seed  for  next  year  sets      .        .       .20 

1  pkg.  Cucumber,  "  White  Spine  " 10 

1  pkg.  Egg  Plant,  "  N.  Y.  Spineless "       .        „        .        .      .10 
1  pkg.  Tomato,  "  Crimson  Cushion "        .        »        .        .       .10 

1  pkg.  Pepper,  "  Ruby  King  " 10 

1  pkg.  Musk  melon,  "  Delmonico  " 10 

1  pkg.  Squash,  "  Long  Island "  (summer)         .        .  .10 

1  pkg.  Squash,  "  Gregory  "  (winter) 10 

1  pkg.  Green  Bush  Bean,  "The  Longfellow"  .        .  .10 

1  pkg.  Pole  Lima  Bean,  "  Leviathan  " 10 

1  pkg.  Okra,  "  Long  Green  " 05 

1  oz.  Radish,  «  Scarlet  Turnip  " 10 

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1  pkg.  Corn,  "  Country  Gentleman  " 15 

Herbs  —  1  pkg.  each  —  Parsley,  Sage,  Summer  Savory, 
Thyme,  Marjoram,  Aniseed,  Wormwood,  Saffron, 
Tansy .40 

$4.95 

Flower  Garden 

1  pkg.  Ricinus  (castor  oil  plant) $  .05 

1  pkg.  Japanese  Tassel  Asters 15 

1  pkg.  Balsam 10 

1  pkg.  Cosmos 05 

1  pkg.  Hollyhocks 10 

1  pkg.  Larkspur 05 

1  oz.  Nasturtiums,  Tall 15 

1  oz.  Nasturtiums,  "  Tom  Thumb  " 15 

1  pkg.  Pansies 05 

1  pkg.  Pinks .10 

1  pkg.  Salvia,  "  Scarlet  Dragon  " 05 

1  pkg.  Stocks 05 

1  pkg.  Sweet-william 05 

1  pkg.  Verbena 10 

1  pkg.  Wallflower 05 

J  pkg.  Sunflower       . .15 

$1.40 

One  of  the  advantages  of  sending  for  seeds 
early  is  that  you  are  sure  to  get  the  varieties 
selected,  whereas  later  in  the  season  "the 
best"  is  frequently  sold  out,  and  you  will 
either  be  sent  old  seed,  or  some  inferior  va- 

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riety  as  a  substitute.  Another  advantage  is 
not  being  kept  weeks  for  seed  which  should 
be  in  the  ground.  Send  for  your  supplies 
to  an  old  established  firm;  "bargains"  are 
the  most  reckless  waste  of  money. 

If  the  "Home"  is  to  be  an  ideal  haven  of 
rest,  it  must  be  pretty.  Economy  will  pro- 
hibit buying  plants  for  the  flower  garden  the 
first  summer,  but  exercising  a  little  fore- 
thought now  will  enable  you  to  have  a  lovely 
display  of  flowers  all  through  the  summer  at 
a  normal  cost.  Procure  some  shallow  boxes 
from  your  grocer.  They  should  not  be 
more  than  three  inches  deep,  and  about  a 
foot  and  a  half  long  and  a  foot  wide.  If  it 
is  not  possible  to  get  what  you  want,  saw  a  six 
or  seven  inch  box  in  halves,  using  the  lid  as 
a  bottom  for  the  second  box.  It  will  be  well 
to  provide  quite  a  number  of  these  boxes,  as 
you  will  want  them  for  vegetable  seed  unless 
you  have  a  hotbed  —  a  luxury  which  is  hardly 
to  be  indulged  in  the  first  year. 

Drainage  is  essential  in  the  boxes  to  be 
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used  as  nursery  beds;  so,  unless  there  are 
cracks  between  the  strips  of  wood  at  the  bot- 
tom, bore  holes  with  a  bit  or  a  redThot  poker; 
then  fill  up  to  within  half  an  inch  of  the  top 
with  the  compost  made  in  November.  Let 
the  boxes  stand  a  few  days  in  a  warm  room, 
to  induce  any  weed  seeds  which  may  be  lurking 
in  their  depths  to  germinate;  for  it  is  much 
easier  to  destroy  these  pests  before  the  boxes 
are  planted  than  after. 

Have  the  mould  thoroughly  pulverized  before 
sowing,  and  prepare  an  extra  quantity  to  use 
for  covering  the  seeds.  This  I  do  by  half- 
filling  a  rather  fine  colander  and  shaking  it 
over  the  box  until  there  is  an  even  layer  over 
the  seeds.  The  average  small  flower  seed 
should  not  have  more  than  the  fourth  of 
an  inch  over  it.  A  board  that  will  fit  in- 
side the  box  should  be  firmly  pressed  down 
to  insure  the  seeds  being  firmly  embedded 
in  the  mould.  Otherwise  the  air  gets  round, 
dries  up  and  kills  the  first  frail  germs 
of  life.  After  planting  and  patting  down, 

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sprinkle  lightly  and  stand  the  boxes  on  a  south 
or  southwest  window  in  a  living-room  where 
the  temperature  averages  sixty  degrees.  Until 
the  seedlings  show  above  the  ground,  it  is  ad- 
visable to  keep  a  sheet  of  window  glass  over 
them,  raising  slightly  at  one  end  at  the  middle 
of  the  day  for  ventilation.  If  the  nights  are 
very  cold,  throw  a  woollen  cloth  or  newspaper 
over  and  around  the  sides  of  the  boxes,  to 
avoid  frost. 

The  seeds  to  be  started  this  month  are,  for 
the  flower  garden:  hollyhocks,  wallflowers, 
pinks,  pansies,  verbenas,  stocks,  sweet-will- 
iams, nasturtiums,  salvia.  When  ordering 
seeds,  specify  that  annual  hollyhocks  and 
wallflowers  are  desired,  else  you  will  get  no 
blossoms  the  first  year  from  these  plants. 

For  the  vegetable  garden :  cabbage,  cauli- 
flower, Brussels  sprouts,  and  lettuce. 

For  the  last  two  years  we  have  filled  about 
two  dozen  empty  paper  cases  in  which  break- 
fast cereals  come  with  rich  mould,  and  in 
the  middle  deposited  half  a  potato.  These 

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are  watered  and  placed  near  the  cellar  win- 
dows, where  they  sprout  and  become  sturdy 
plants  by  the  time  the  ground  is  fit  to  work 
in  the  garden,  when  the  cases  are  cut  in  all 
directions  with  the  point  of  a  sharp  knife, 
care  being  taken  not  to  disturb  the  mould  in 
any  way.  A  hole  is  made  in  the  ground  and 
the  box  submerged.  Soon  the  force  of  the 
growing  plants  demolishes  the  rotting  paper 
of  the  box;  the  tubers  continue  to  develop 
without  check,  and  furnish  new  potatoes 
for  several  dinners  in  May,  when  they  are 
luxuries  and  so  duly  appreciated. 

Rhubarb  and  asparagus  can  be  consid- 
erably hastened  in  the  garden  by  covering 
clumps  with  barrels  which  have  had  the 
heads  knocked  out,  or  empty  cases.  Which- 
ever are  used,  the  treatment  is  the  same. 
Place  the  "protector"  firmly  over  the  plant, 
and  bank  up  leaves  or  straw  and  stable  man- 
ure all  round  the  outside.  At  night  or  on 
very  cold  days,  cover  the  top  of  the  shelter 
with  burlap,  glass,  or  oiled  muslin. 

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The  latter  is  easily  fixed  and  can  be  used 
for  such  a  multitude  of  purposes  both  in  the 
garden  and  about  the  poultry  houses,  that  if 
you  can  spare  the  time,  make  a  few  different- 
sized  frames  of  shingle  slats ;  cover  them  with 
cheap  muslin,  using  half-inch  wire  nails  and 
stretching  the  muslin  as  evenly  as  possible. 
Then  with  a  paint  brush  give  the  whole  sur- 
face a  coat  of  linseed  oil.  When  it  dries, 
you  will  have  a  capital  imitation  of  a  hotbed 
sash,  which  is  light  to  handle,  not  easily 
broken,  nearly  as  transparent  as  glass  and 
quite  as  protective. 


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CHAPTER  VII 

MARCH 

It /TY  first  experience  with  incubator  chicks 
-I-*-*-  was  undertaken  without  any  equipment. 
Needless  to  say,  it  was  accident,  not  design, 
which  led  me  into  such  a  rash  proceeding; 
for  even  the  enthusiasm  of  an  amateur  has 
its  limits.  The  farm  was  still  in  the  primi- 
tive condition  of  depending  on  old  biddies 
for  all  hatching,  when  the  peace-banishing 
gift  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-three  chicks 
was  bestowed  on  me  by  a  young  fellow  who 
had  started  an  incubator  and  who,  on  the 
very  day  the  chicks  were  coming  out,  was 
compelled  to  return  to  the  city. 

The  fluffy  little  fellows  looked  so  pretty 
that  I  was  delighted  with  my  present,  until 
the  problem  of  keeping  them  warm  through 
the  night  had  to  be  solved.  After  much 

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cogitating,  cut  hay  was  scattered  on  the  bot- 
tom of  two  large  wash-tubs,  which  were 
placed  before  the  open  fire  in  the  dining 
room.  Then  we  heated  bricks,  wrapped  them 
in  flannel,  and  placed  two  in  the  centre  of 
each  tub.  As  the  chicks  were  put  in  they 
cuddled  up  to  the  warmth,  apparently  utterly 
oblivious  to  its  stony  lack  of  feeling.  A 
strong  string  was  stretched  from  handle  to 
handle,  to  prevent  the  heavy  blanket  with 
which  the  tub  was  to  be  covered  from  sinking 
down  and  smothering  its  tiny  inmates. 

All  was  peace  and  quiet  for  about  half  an 
hour;  then  a  series  of  discontented  chirps 
started  in  both  tubs.  Investigation  revealed 
the  fact  that  the  bricks  were  nearly  cold. 
What  would  retain  the  heat?  Two  gallon- 
demijohns  were  filled  with  boiling  water, 
and  replaced  the  bricks;  peace  reigned, 
and  forthwith  I  resigned  myself  to  arising 
once  or  twice  during  the  night  to  refill.  Sud- 
denly a  commotion  started  in  one  of  the  tubs. 
The  blanket  was  removed  to  discover  the 

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cause.  One  of  the  demijohns  had  cracked, 
and  the  poor  babies  were  floating  about  in 
hot  water,  from  which  they  were  rapidly 
scooped  out  by  the  handful,  and  deposited 
on  the  hearth-rug  to  dry,  apparently  not 
much  hurt.  Hot  water  obviously  was  not 
safe.  Once  more,  what  would  retain  heat? 
A  flash  of  inspiration  suggested  baked 
corn.  It  was  one  A.  M.  before  a  sufficient 
quantity  could  be  made  hot  enough,  but  it 
did  keep  warm  till  seven  o'clock.  Baked 
corn  proved  so  safe  as  a  warmth  retainer, 
that  for  a  week  all  went  well.  Then,  the 
half-dormant  infant  period  being  passed,  it 
became  evident  that  outdoor  air  and  exercise 
were  necessary  during  the  day.  A  hundred 
and  sixty-three  chicks  do  not  seem  very 
formidable  when  confined  in  a  brooder; 
but  oh,  their  mighty  numbers  when  sudden 
capture  became  necessary  in  a  thunder-shower ! 
The  exercise  would  have  profitably  employed 
a  large  class  of  physical-culture  students 
perhaps,  but  wrestling  alone  with  such  living 

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atoms  of  quicksilver  reduced  me  to  a  skeleton, 
and  ninety  unfortunate  chicks  to  untimely 
graves. 

My  tale  of  disaster  has  been  told  only  to 
warn  any  misguided  creatures  who  think 
they  can  manage  without  a  brooder. 

For  the  beginner,  with  only  one  or  two 
incubators,  the  individual  brooder  is  undoubt- 
edly the  most  convenient,  because  the  long 
house,  fitted  with  boilers  and  hot  water  or 
steam  pipes,  necessitates  a  large  outlay. 
First,  there  is  the  building  and  plumbing; 
then  the  whole  house  has  to  be  heated,  even 
if  only  one  section  is  being  used.  Last, 
should  any  accident  happen  to  the  boiler 
or  fire  when  the  house  is  filled  with  chickens, 
all  suffer. 

The  individual  machines  are  divided  into 
two  classes,  there  being  only  $2  difference 
between  their  prices.  The  out-door  is  really 
the  cheapest,  because  it  can  be  used  in  any 
light,  sunny  shed,  or  in  the  house  in  cold 
weather. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Every  incubator  which  holds  one  hundred 
and  twenty  eggs  will  require  three  brooders 
of  the  hundred-chick  size  to  rear  its  output, 
even  if  only  seventy-five  per  cent  of  the  eggs 
hatch,  because  a  brooder  of  that  size  can 
accommodate  only  fifty  chicks  when  they  are 
two  weeks  old,  and  twenty-five  when  they 
are  three  weeks  old;  and  the  second  lot  will 
hatch  when  the  first  are  twenty-three  days 
old,  if  the  machines  are  kept  running  closely. 
Crowding  is  disastrous.  The  round  hover 
used  in  nearly  all  the  brooders  now  does 
away  to  a  great  extent  with  the  crushing  up 
into  corners;  but  if  the  temperature  is  al- 
lowed to  run  down,  there  is  a  natural  ten- 
dency to  crowd  into  a  bunch,  which  usually 
results  in  the  unfortunate  weaklings  of  the 
lot  being  crushed  to  death.  Another  objec- 
tion to  large  brooders  is  the  impossibility  of 
keeping  the  air  in  them  fresh  during  long, 
cold  nights. 

In  preparing  the  brooders,  mix  an  ounce 
of  crude  carbolic  acid  in  a  pailful  of  white- 
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wash,  and  give  the  brooder  a  coat  on  the  in- 
side. When  dry,  fit  a  piece  of  carpet  or  felt 
all  over  the  floor  of  the  sleeping  compart- 
ment, and  make  a  slip  cover  of  cotton  flannel 
to  go  over  the  hover  and  floor,  fastening  it 
down  with  large  drawing-pins  in  each  corner. 
Have  two  of  these  slip  covers  to  each  brooder, 
and  change  at  least  three  times  a  week, 
having  them  washed  and  boiled  each  time 
they  are  removed. 

The  outside  or  feeding  room  is  best  car- 
peted with  cut  hay.  We  keep  the  sweepings 
of  the  hay-loft  for  this,  as  it  is  fine,  and  keeps 
the  small  chickens  busy  scratching  for  food 
and  seeds. 

If  a  fountain  is  to  be  used,  stand  it  on  a 
piece  of  wood  to  keep  it  out  of  the  dust,  of 
course  being  sure  that  the  chickens  can  reach 
it.  If  you  have  no  fountain,  fasten  a  small 
cup  to  the  side  of  the  brooder;  but  do  not 
think  that  a  cup  or  dish  on  the  floor  is  easier 
and  just  as  good,  because  half  an  hour  after 
it  has  been  put  in  you  will  find  it  minus  water, 

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filled  with  the  cut  hay  or  whatever  you  use, 
and  the  floor  wet  and  mussy. 

At  the  front  of  the  feeding  compartment 
is  a  small  door  to  open  and  let  out  the  babies 
into  a  run,  which  should  be  made  of  slats 
and  one-inch  wire  netting  —  as  wide  as  the 
brooders,  six  feet  long,  one  high,  and  the  top 
made  to  open  like  a  box-lid,  for  convenience. 

Everything  being  ready,  start  the  lamp 
burning,  at  first  leaving  the  doors,  or  lids, 
open  about  an  inch.  Close  after  a  few  hours, 
and  get  it  running  steadily  at  ninety-five 
degrees,  for  twenty-four  hours  before  you 
expect  to  use  it.  Remember  that  too  much  or 
too  little  heat  is  as  dangerous  in  a  brooder 
as  in  an  incubator.  Many  beginners  will  use 
the  greatest  care  in  hatching  the  eggs,  and 
then  spoil  everything  by  neglecting  the  chicks 
in  the  matter  of  heat,  and  so  lose  them  by 
the  dozen. 

Commence  with  ninety-five  degrees;  the 
second  week  lower  gradually  to  eighty-five, 
decreasing  that  till  it  is  at  seventy  at  the  end 

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of  the  fourth  week.  Always  take  the  tem- 
perature from  the  thermometer  under  the 
hover. 

Most  brooders  have  some  means  of  shut- 
ting off  the  sleeping  room  from  the  play 
room,  which  must  be  closed  before  putting 
in  the  chicks,  for  at  first  they  could  not 
endure  the  low  temperature  of  the  outer 
room ;  but  unless  prevented  they  will  run  right 
away  from  the  heat  and  get  chilled.  So 
they  must  get  gradually  accustomed  to  then* 
surroundings. 

If,  however,  your  brooder  does  not  have 
this  arrangement,  just  close  the  opening 
with  a  clean  old  blanket,  or  even  newspaper; 
but  do  not  use  a  board  —  it  may  tumble 
down  and  hurt  some  of  the  babies. 

Being  in  the  brooder,  all  that  they  need 
for  twenty-four  hours  is  fine  gravel  and  char- 
coal, scattered  on  the  flannel  covering  the 
floor.  For  the  first  few  nights  it  is  advisable 
to  see  that  all  the  little  folks  are  safely  under 
the  hover  curtain,  for,  having  no  mother  to 

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cluck  them  to  bed,  they  are  apt  to  go  to  sleep 
in  one  of  the  outer  corners. 

Never  neglect  airing  the  brooder  at  least 
twice  a  day.  Any  carpenter  can  make  an 
extra  cover  for  the  hover  like  the  one  which 
comes  with  the  brooder;  it  is  a  simple  matter 
to  tack  a  fringed  piece  of  flannel  or  felt  round 
it,  and  having  the  two,  one  can  be  exposed 
to  the  sun  and  air  for  hours  every  day,  with- 
out inconveniencing  the  chicks. 

FOOD    FOR   THE    FIRST   TWENTY   DAYS 

Nothing  for  the  first  twenty-four  hours, 
because  the  yolk  of  the  egg,  which  is  absorbed 
into  the  abdomen,  must  be  digested  and 
assimilated  before  any  other  food  is  taken, 
or  the  bowels  become  congested,  dysentery 
sets  in  —  or  at  least  indigestion ;  the  result 
being  slow-growing,  scraggy  chicks,  which 
are  a  misery  to  themselves  and  a  disappoint- 
ment to  their  owners. 

The  second  day,  hard-boiled  eggs,  chopped 
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fine  without  removing  the  shell,  and  mixed 
with  equal  parts  of  dry  bread  crumbs;  to 
each  cupful,  add  one  dessert-spoonful  of 
powdered  charcoal. 

For  three  weeks,  "little  and  often"  should 
be  the  rule.  We  feed  five  times  a  day,  —  the 
first  meal  at  five-thirty,  six-thirty,  or  seven 
o'clock,  according  to  the  light.  This  meal 
consists  of  pinhead  oatmeal,  cracked  wheat, 
cracked  corn  —  all  passed  through  a  fine 
sieve;  nine  o'clock,  stale  bread  which  has 
been  baked  in  the  oven  and  coarsely  ground 
in  a  hand-mill,  just  moistened  with  milk 
that  has  been  scalded;  eleven-thirty,  boiled 
liver  and  green  sprouts  of  onions  —  hah0  a 
cup  of  each,  chopped  fine,  to  one  whole  cup 
of  dried  bread  crumbs;  at  two  o'clock  more 
milk  and  crumbs,  lettuce,  or  tender  greens, 
chopped  fine;  from  four  to  half-past,  all  the 
dry  mixed  grain  they  will  eat;  fresh  water 
three  times  a  day. 

I  have  never  had  any  cases  of  gapes  among 
my  chicks,  and  I  attribute  it  to  the  constant 

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use  of  green  onion  tops  or  sprouts.  Crumbs 
and  milk,  or  any  moist  food,  must  be  fed  on 
a  flat  plate,  shallow  galvanized  pan,  or  strip 
of  board,  and  removed  after  ten  minutes  to 
insure  nothing  being  left  to  get  sour.  Dry 
grains  should  be  scattered  on  the  play  room 
floor  to  keep  the  little  fellows  busy  hunting 
it,  the  main  object  being  to  promote  exercise 
and  avoid  overloading  the  crop. 

Should  there  be  any  weak  chicks  in  the 
brood,  with  pinched,  pasty-looking  beaks 
too  large  for  their  faces,  remove  them  to  a 
small  box  and  care  for  them  in  the  house,  or 
have  the  courage  to  end  their  lives  in  a  merci- 
ful way;  for  such  birds  are  usually  descended 
from  overfat  or  roupy  parents,  and  are  likely 
to  develop  consumption  or  some  other  disease 
which  may  spread  through  the  flock. 

Another  chick  trouble  is  diarrhoea.  Scald- 
ing all  milk  used  has  a  tendency  to  check 
this.  A  rusty  nail  or  a  few  drops  of  tincture 
of  iron  in  the  drinking  water  is  also  good, 
as  well  as  being  a  tonic.  Should  the  drop- 

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pings  adhere  to  the  feathers,  and  cause  the 
vent  to  be  pasted  up,  remove  the  obstruction 
by  bathing  with  warm  water.  Keep  the 
patient  warm  and  mix  a  little  poppy  seed 
with  its  food.  A  few  days'  care  will  effect  a 
cure,  unless  the  case  is  hopeless. 

Natural  incubation  must  not  be  neglected, 
for  no  matter  how  many  modern  inventions 
for  converting  eggs  into  chickens  the  "Home" 
may  boast,  Biddy  takes  precedence  for  rearing 
future  stock,  and  for  hatching  small  numbers 
of  ducks,  geese,  or  turkey  eggs. 

Do  not  think  that  Biddy  must  be  allowed 
to  remain  in  the  nest  she  claims  in  the  chicken- 
house,  for  such  an  arrangement  always  breeds 
trouble;  every  hen  will  desire  to  lay  in  that 
particular  nest,  even  if  there  are  twenty  others 
vacant.  Then,  if  Mrs.  Biddy  is  of  a  pugilistic 
disposition,  there  are  fights  and  broken  eggs. 
If  she  be  of  the  angelic  type,  and  allow  in- 
truders to  crowd  into  her  nest,  she  gathers  the 
eggs  to  her  motherly  breast,  and  the  warmth 
soon  renders  them  unfit  for  table  use. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

To  avoid  all  trouble  of  this  kind,  devote 
some  small  building  to  the  exclusive  use  of 
sitting  hens,  where  they  will  be  free  from  all 
disturbing  influences.  Arrange  nest  boxes, 
with  hay  in  them,  all  around  the  sides.  In 
the  centre  of  the  floor  two  boxes  filled  with 
fine  ashes  for  the  sitters  to  bathe  in  are  needed, 
as  well  as  a  drinking  fountain  and  a  pan  filled 
with  whole  corn  mixed  with  sharp  grit  — 
four  portions  of  the  former  to  one  of  the  latter. 
Fill  up  the  pan  and  water  fountain  every 
morning.  Cut  a  large  turnip  or  cabbage 
in  half  and  fix  it  between  stones,  so  as  to 
keep  the  cut  side  firmly  uppermost;  then 
whenever  hunger  assails  any  of  the  occu- 
pants of  the  house,  they  can  eat  and  return 
to  their  nests  without  attention  from  you. 

Droppings  must  of  course  be  removed  every 
day,  and  the  ash  baths  emptied  and  refilled 
twice  a  week. 

There  is  also  another  time-  and  trouble- 
saving  device:  we  now  use  a  sort  of  cage 
three  feet  long,  two  feet  wide,  and  one  and  a 

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half  high,  made  of  shingle  slats  covered 
around  the  sides,  ends,  and  top  with  two- 
inch  mesh  netting,  which  is  placed  over  the 
nest  when  the  hen  is  first  set,  if  she  seems 
at  all  restless.  Some  hens  always  have  to 
have  the  cage  kept  over  them,  or  after  feed- 
ing they  go  into  the  wrong  nest,  leaving 
their  own.  Obviously,  when  the  cage  is 
used,  food,  water,  and  all  the  needs  must  be 
placed  inside. 

Now  the  question  arises,  how  to  know 
when  a  hen  is  desirous  to  sit.  I  still  remem- 
ber with  shame  my  own  studipity  on  this 
simple  point. 

Among  the  first  hens  I  owned  was  an  old 
Plymouth  Rock  that  soon  claimed  special 
notice;  for  every  time  I  went  to  feed  she 
came  flying  off  a  nest,  and  an  egg  met  my 
delighted  gaze.  Two  eggs  a  day  from  one 
hen !  It  was  phenomenal !  Such  a  thing 
was  never  heard  of !  Day  after  day  for  two 
weeks ! 

Then  one  day  the  old  Dutch  woman  who 
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came  to  do  the  wash  was  hanging  out  the 
clothes  when  I  went  to  feed  at  noon.  Pride 
prompted  me  to  point  out  the  record  breaker 
and  explain  her  wonderful  value. 

Old  Reika  grunted  out:  — 

"  Nein  —  dose  Rocques  aind't  no  gut,  only 
to  sedt." 

"Only  to  sit,"  was  my  haughty  comment, 
"why,  she  lays  two  eggs  a  day!" 

"Himmel  sturm wetter !"  Oh,  the  look  of 
amused  contempt  on  that  old  Dutch  face ! 
"Maybe  she  kheeps  de  nechst  vorhm  aber, 
but  it  vos  some  oddhor  vaoul  vot  lays  dose 
eggs  —  don't  it  ?  " 

Reika  was  right.  My  wonderful,  record- 
breaking  hen  was  nothing  but  a  broody  old 
Biddy  hen  with  such  a  greedy  disposition 
that  she  flew  off  the  nest  every  time  food 
came  in  sight. 

Profit  by  this  experience. 

When  you  see  the  same  hen  on  a  nest 
each  time  you  go  into  the  coop,  it  is  a  sign 
she  is  getting  broody.  If  she  is  still  there 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

when  you  lock  up  for  the  night,  she  is  ready 
to  be  set.  Some  broody  hens  do  not  get  off 
the  nest  at  feed  time.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, you  must  slip  your  hand  under 
the  hen  and  abstract  whatever  eggs  you  can 
feel.  This  needs  courage,  for  some  hens 
peck  and  scold  in  a  way  that  is  alarming 
to  a  city  woman.  Others  keep  quite  still 
until  your  hand  is  near,  then  dash  off  the 
nest,  shrieking  and  screaming  until  every 
bird  on  the  premises  joins  in  the  uproar. 

Being  sure  of  a  broody  hen,  go  into  the 
house  when  it  is  almost  dark,  stoop  down 
in  front  of  the  nest,  and  place  your  hands 
over  Biddy,  the  thumbs  meeting  between 
the  shoulders,  the  fingers  passing  over  the 
body  and  picking  up  the  feet.  In  this  way 
she  is  easily  removed  without  any  fright 
being  caused  to  the  other  inmates  of  the 
house.  Carry  her  outside,  then  hold  by 
the  feet,  head  down,  as  illustrated  in  the 
cut  facing  page  28,  and  proceed  to  dust  her 
feathers  thoroughly  with  insect  powder  from 

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the  dredge.  When  it  has  been  well  rubbed 
in,  gather  her  up  in  your  hands  in  the  same 
position  as  when  you  took  her  from  the 
nest,  and  hold  her  until  she  is  quiet  again. 
Then  place  her  over  the  nest  and  free  your 
fingers  from  her  claws,  letting  her  feel  the 
eggs,  releasing  her  gradually  as  you  feel  her 
settle  down  on  the  nest. 

All  this  handling  must  be  accomplished 
as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  dark,  and  as  it 
is  not  always  convenient  to  do  it  during  the 
short  time  of  dusk,  a  lantern  must  be  fixed 
up  for  night  work;  paint  all  but  a  strip  of 
the  glass  with  black  paint. 

As  the  moving  and  powdering  are  likely  to 
make  the  hen  restless,  three  or  four  china  nest- 
eggs  are  put  into  the  nest  at  first ;  then,  when 
she  has  settled  down  to  business,  it  is  an  easy 
matter  the  next  evening  to  change  the  dummies 
and  slip  real  eggs  under  her.  The  ordinary 
sitting  of  hens'  eggs  is  thirteen  in  number,  but 
a  large  hen  can  safely  be  given  fifteen,  espe- 
cially as  the  weather  becomes  warmer. 

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About  the  seventh  and  fifteenth  days  after 
the  sitting  has  begun,  the  hen  should  again 
be  powdered. 

Always  try  and  set  two  or  more  hens  at 
the  same  time.  You  can  then  give  the  two 
clutches  to  one  hen,  returning  the  other 
hen  to  the  chicken-house,  where  she  will 
soon  begin  laying  again. 

When  Biddy  has  been  sitting  twenty-one 
full  days,  listen;  if  you  hear  a  twitter  in  the 
morning,  wait  for  the  evening  before  slipping 
your  hand  under  her  to  remove  the  dry  chicks. 
If  it  is  evening  before  you  hear  any  sound, 
wait  until  the  next  morning. 

The  object  in  removing  the  young  ones 
is  that  the  hen,  in  moving  around  to  help 
the  later  chickens  out  of  the  shell,  may  not 
be  able  to  avoid  trampling  on  and  injuring 
those  already  out.  At  the  same  time  clear 
the  nest  of  broken  shells,  for  there  is  danger 
that  a  broken  section  may  get  fitted  over  a 
pipped  egg,  —  the  term  used  for  the  first 
little  chipped  hole  made  by  the  baby's  bill 

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when  trying  to  break  out  of  its  prison,  — 
thus  excluding  the  air  and  smothering  the 
occupant. 

The  newcomers  must  be  wrapped  in 
flannel,  put  in  a  basket,  and  kept  warm  be- 
hind the  kitchen  stove.  Wait  twelve  hours 
longer;  then  take  all  the  chicks,  remove  the 
hen  to  her  future  home,  fasten  her  in,  and 
give  her  all  her  babies  and  a  good  feed  of  corn. 
Place  before  the  coop  a  run  three  feet  long, 
made  of  slats  and  half-inch  wire  netting  or 
boards  a  foot  high,  so  the  little  ones  can- 
not wander  away  and  get  lost. 

Coops  are  best  kept  in  the  full  sun  till  the 
middle  of  April.  After  that,  place  them 
under  a  tree  for  shelter  and  shade.  All 
grass  under  and  around  them  should  be  cut 
short,  so  that  dew  and  rain  will  dry  off  as 
quickly  as  possible  and  make  it  easier  for 
chicks  to  eat.  Each  family  should  be  six  feet 
away  from  all  the  others,  for  some  hens  will 
wreak  dire  vengeance  on  any  baby  that  is 
foolish  enough  to  mistake  home  and  mother. 

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THE    GARDEN 

If  the  weather  is  fine,  the  last  two  weeks 
of  March  should  see  the  patch  of  ground 
intended  for  the  vegetable  garden  ploughed 
and  harrowed,  as  was  explained  in  Chapter 
III,  November.  It  is  advisable  to  do 
this  in  the  fall  when  possible,  but  many 
beginners  going  on  to  the  farm  for  the  first 
time  this  spring  can  still  have  a  good  garden 
if  no  time  is  lost  in  starting  it. 

Have  well-rotted  stable  manure  scattered 
over  the  surface  before  ploughing,  which 
should  be  deep  at  first.  After  two  or  three 
days'  airing,  plough  again,  running  the  fur- 
rows crosswise;  then  harrow  and  roll  and 
harrow  again  until  every  clod  is  broken  up. 
Thorough  preparation  of  the  soil  should 
never  be  shirked,  for  it  is  more  than  half 
the  battle.  Let  me  caution  you  not  to  have 
the  ploughing  done  if  the  ground  is  wet. 
Much  of  the  disappointment  which  city  peo- 
ple experience  in  their  first  summer  arises 

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from  the  natural  desire  of  the  amateur  to 
get  to  work.  Earth  ploughed,  dug,  or  hoed 
when  wet  or  soggy  will  bake  and  crust  all 
summer.  The  right  consistency  can  be  as- 
certained by  picking  up  a  handful  and  squeez- 
ing it.  If  it  remains  a  solid  lump,  it  is  too 
wet;  but  when  it  presses  together  easily 
and  as  readily  falls  apart  when  released,  it 
is  just  in  the  right  condition  to  work,  will 
turn  a  clean  furrow,  and  will  readily  crumble 
under  the  harrow. 

Flower  and  vegetable  seeds  planted  in  the 
nursery  boxes  last  month  will  need  watch- 
ing from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  this  month ; 
for  what  is  called  "damping  off"  is  very  apt 
to  appear.  It  can  be  easily  detected  by  the 
sickly  appearance  of  the  seedlings,  followed 
by  a  shrivelling  or  burning  of  the  stem  close 
to  the  earth.  The  moment  the  danger  sig- 
nal is  noticed,  prick  out  into  fresh  boxes  of 
corresponding  size,  or  a  trifle  deeper.  The 
seedlings  need  not  be  planted  more  than 
half  an  inch  apart.  Prepare  the  mould  in 

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the  boxes  the  same  as  you  did  for  the  seeds; 
pat  down,  and  make  the  holes  in  which  the 
baby  plants  are  to  be  put  with  a  toothpick, 
firming  the  earth  around  them  gently  with 
the  forefinger  of  each  hand.  Should  no 
suggestion  of  debility  appear  among  the  seed- 
lings, still  prick  out  into  fresh  boxes  when 
the  second  leaves  unfold. 

The  seeds  of  tomatoes  and  peppers  should 
now  be  started  in  nursery  boxes,  precisely 
in  the  same  way  as  were  the  flower  seeds 
last  month.  If  weather  permits,  ground  for 
oats  and  potatoes  should  be  ploughed  during 
the  latter  part  of  the  month.  Sod  ground 
is  desirable  for  potatoes,  so  if  there  is  a  strip 
of  grass  land  which  needs  renewal,  have  it 
well  ploughed,  harrowed,  and  marked  off 
in  rows  a  foot  and  a  half  apart. 

Almost  every  old  farmer  has  a  theory 
about  the  way  and  size  to  cut  a  potato  for 
planting.  After  listening  and  trying  several 
methods,  we  have  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  cutting  large  tubers  in  four,  and  small 


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ones  through  the  centre  lengthwise,  is  much 
better  than  dissecting  carefully  to  separate 
every  eye,  and  then  use  two  pieces  when 
planting;  especially  as  the  innumerable  ex- 
periments tried  at  the  agricultural  stations 
have  revealed  the  fact  that  eyes  gather  nu- 
triment for  sustenance  and  growth  from  the 
potato  itself,  until  the  sprouts  develop  stems 
that  form  joints  —  at  which  point  rootlets 
start;  proving  beyond  doubt  that  unless  the 
piece  of  potato  planted  is  large  enough  to 
adequately  feed  the  eye  or  eyes  it  may  con- 
tain, the  root  growth  which  is  required  to 
furnish  the  subsequent  tubers  with  food 
must  be  weakened.  We  plant  one  quarter 
to  every  foot  in  the  row,  and  cover  from 
four  to  five  inches  deep,  selecting  ground 
which  has  been  heavily  manured  the  year 
before,  and  scattering  wood  ashes  on  the 
surface  after  the  seeds  have  been  covered  with 
earth. 

We    have    two    old-fashioned    open    fire- 
places in   which  logs  are  burnt,   so  have  a 

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bountiful  supply  of  ashes,  all  of  which  are 
saved  in  barrels  for  this  use.  The  two 
years  when  we  grew  a  large  quantity  of 
potatoes  for  market,  a  sawmill  was  being 
operated  in  the  woods,  the  engine  of  which 
was  fed  with  the  waste  logs;  and  we  bar- 
gained for  the  ashes  at  fifty  cents  a  load. 
Failing  this  source,  commercial  fertilizer 
specially  prepared  for  potatoes  had  to  be 
bought.  Thorough  cultivation  is  necessary 
to  insure  a  good  crop.  Soon,  say  seven  or 
eight  days  after  planting,  run  the  harrow 
over  the  field,  which  will  kill  the  embryo 
weeds  and  level  the  surface.  As  soon  as 
the  plants  show,  cultivate  again;  but,  of 
course,  this  time  only  between  the  rows  and 
with  an  ordinary  cultivator.  Repeat  at  fre- 
quent intervals. 

It  is  estimated  that  it  takes  fifteen  bushels 
of  potatoes,  after  they  have  been  cut  into 
quarters,  to  plant  an  acre,  which  should  re- 
turn one  hundred  and  thirty  bushels  of 
salable  potatoes  —  by  which  is  meant  large 

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and  medium-sized  potatoes,  small  ones  not 
entering  into  the  calculation.  In  an  ordi- 
nary crop  there  will  be  in  all  probability 
about  thirty  bushels  of  these  dwarfs,  which 
are  excellent  fattening  food  for  poultry  and 
pigs  when  cooked  and  mashed  up. 

Dormant  roses  and  small  fruit  trees  should 
be  bought  before  the  15th  of  the  month. 
They  are  cheaper  than  growing  plants  later 
in  the  season,  and  being  free  from  sap  and 
earth  round  the  roots,  cost  much  less  to  ship. 
Plant  where  you  desire  them  to  permanently 
stand,  as  soon  as  the  frost  is  out  of  the  ground. 
Twenty-four  hours  before  planting  we  stand 
the  roots  in  a  pail  of  water,  which  softens 
and  makes  them  pliable  —  an  advantage 
when  spreading  them  out  in  their  future 
home. 


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CHAPTER  VIII 

APRIL 

TF  only  for  the  feathers,  a  few  geese  should  be 
-*-  kept.  Lots  of  pillows  are  such  a  comfort, 
and  a  well-fed,  well-cooked  goose  is  a  wel- 
come change  in  midwinter.  Moreover,  green 
geese  (birds  under  ten  months  old)  are  always 
in  demand  during  the  holiday  season,  being 
as  universally  used  by  the  Germans  for 
Christmas  fare  as  are  turkeys  by  Americans. 
My  first  essay  at  goose  rearing  was  made 
with  five  eggs,  bought  for  five  cents  apiece 
from  a  Swede  who  was  ploughing  for  us. 
An  old  Brahma  hen  was  intrusted  to  incu- 
bate them,  and  faithfully  performed  the  duty 
until  I  lifted  her  off  the  nest  on  the  thirtieth 
day,  to  find  only  three  eggs.  The  others, 
evidently,  had  been  broken  or  stolen.  Of 
those  remaining,  two  were  unmistakably  bad ; 

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the  third  slightly  chipped,  but  showing  no 
sign  of  life. 

Not  having  outlived  the  amateur's  desire  to 
cosset  every  feeble  spark  of  life,  I  carried 
the  egg  down  to  the  house,  held  it  over  a 
steaming  kettle  to  soften  the  dry,  hard  shell, 
which  I  gradually  chipped  off,  revealing  an 
apparently  lifeless,  under-sized  gosling,  which 
I  subjected  to  a  combination  of  steaming  and 
baking  until,  just  as  effort  was  about  to  be  dis- 
continued in  despair,  it  kicked  —  a  feeble, 
die-away  sort  of  kick  certainly,  but  it  stimu- 
lated my  desire  to  save  its  life,  which  was 
eventually  granted;  but  the  result  was  such 
a  miserable-looking  object  for  weeks,  that, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  odd,  intelligent  per- 
sonality of  the  poor  little  w7retch,  I  fear  its 
existence  would  have  been  summarily  cur- 
tailed. 

It  persisted  in  continually  waddling  after 
me,  squatting  down  suddenly  at  my  feet  as 
soon  as  I  came  to  a  stand-still,  and  looking 
up  with  a  comically  satisfied  expression  which 

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compelled  attention.  During  the  days  of 
ugliness  and  uncertainty  of  sex,  innumerable 
uncomplimentary  names  suggested  by  ap- 
pearance or  oddities  were  bestowed  on  the 
poor  creature,  who  eventually  shamed  per- 
spicacity by  developing  into  a  beautiful  white 
gander,  and  became  known  to  our  friends 
as  Launcelot  Gobbo  the  Wonderful  —  the  ap- 
pendix being  earned  through  his  capacity  for 
developing  and  acquiring  tricks. 

First  of  these  was  to  knock  at  the  back 
door  punctually  at  seven  o'clock  each  morn- 
ing for  his  breakfast.  On  being  admitted 
he  would  march  to  a  side  table  where  he  had 
been  fed  when  a  baby,  climb  on  to  a  chair 
which  stood  by  it,  and  sit  solemnly  with  his 
beak  on  the  edge  of  the  table  for  a  few 
seconds,  softly  muttering  as  if  saying  grace, 
then  stretch  up  his  neck  and  caw  for  his 
oatmeal,  which  had  to  be  sweetened  and 
creamed  as  for  our  own  eating.  Launcelot 
seemed  to  comprehend  that  eating  with  the 
family  necessitated  a  nicety  of  deportment; 

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for  never  was  he  anything  but  a  courteous 
gentleman  during  the  short  visits  he  elected 
to  pay  the  house.  Outside,  he  would  de- 
scend to  the  mischievous,  noisy  Gobbo  of 
Shakespearian  history. 

When  he  was  quite  little  I  used  to  lay 
him  on  his  back  in  my  hand,  just  for  the  fun 
of  seeing  him  go  to  sleep  contentedly  in  such 
an  ungooselike  position.  As  he  grew  older, 
he  would  come  on  to  the  piazza,  and  volun- 
tarily assume  the  position  on  the  mat  at 
the  dining  room  door,  keeping  his  eyes 
open,  and  cawing  the  moment  any  of  the 
family  appeared  -  -  probably  realizing  that 
the  trick  attracted  such  attention  as  assured 
his  being  stroked  and  petted.  Nothing 
more  ridiculous  could  be  imagined  than  the 
big,  awkward  bird  waddling  up  to  the  mat, 
flopping  down,  and  deliberately  turning  on 
his  back.  It  was  a  performance  that  never 
failed  to  astonish  and  amuse  visitors;  but 
wrhen  the  vacation  time  brought  a  juvenile 
friend  of  ten  years  old  to  stay  with  us,  the 

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climax  of  absurdity  was  reached  through  her 
rewarding  him  with  chocolate  creams.  The 
unaccustomed  flavor  highly  delighted  him, 
for  he  would  lie  for  any  length  of  time  in 
the  hopes  of  receiving  more  candy.  This 
prompted  the  little  lassie  to  undertake  his 
education;  and  before  school  recalled  her 
to  the  city,  Launcelot  would  lie  still  with  a 
black  baby  dolly  cradled  on  one  wing,  and  a 
dilapidated  sailor-boy  on  the  other;  wear 
a  ribbon  harness  and  draw  a  doll's  carriage; 
eat  ice-cream,  drink  coffee,  and  run  for  a  ball 
as  well  as  a  dog. 

The  next  spring,  fearing  he  would  be  lonely, 
we  bought  an  old  gray  goose,  who  showed 
a  most  supreme  contempt  for  her  young 
husband's  various  accomplishments,  even 
resorting  to  corporal  punishment,  whenever 
he  rolled  over  on  to  his  back.  Such  an 
ill-assorted  pair  seemed  hardly  appropriate 
founders  of  practical  stock;  yet  fifteen  of 
their  twenty  children  raised  that  year  sold 
in  December  for  $28,  which  being  spent  in 

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three  geese  and  a  gander  gave  us  a  quartet 
of  breeders  that  have  never  earned  less  than 
$130  a  season. 

Geese,  being  grazing  creatures  possessed 
with  a  vicious  habit  of  nibbling  down  to  the 
roots  of  sod,  cannot  be  allowed  the  run  of  the 
farm,  and  ordinary  yards  would  soon  be- 
come defiled  and  barren.  So  a  strip  of  newly 
cleared  land  or  old  pasture  should  be  con- 
verted into  a  compound  for  their  exclusive 
use. 

One  domestic  gander  will  tend  from  three 
to  five  geese.  If  more  than  that  number 
are  to  be  kept,  each  family  should  have  indi- 
vidual establishments,  stationed  as  far  apart 
as  the  dimensions  of  the  compound  will 
allow;  putting  up  a  fence  to  enclose  thirty 
or  forty  feet  around  each  coop,  and  placing 
feed  and  water  cans  within  them.  At  the 
expiration  of  a  month  they  will  acknowledge 
it  as  home,  and  cling  together  faithfully  as 
one  family;  then  the  fence  can  be  removed, 
as,  clanship  once  established,  there  is  little 

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fear  of  serious  combat  occurring  amongst 
the  ganders. 

Stakes  three  feet  long  of  cedar  with  one  end 
cut  to  a  sharp  point  and  hammered  into  the 
ground  will  do  to  fasten  the  wire  netting  to 
for  the  enclosure.  Nails  and  caps  that  come 
for  putting  on  roofing  paper  are  the  best  to 
use,  because  easily  removed.  The  stakes 
can  be  utilized  afterward  in  the  garden,  and, 
of  course,  the  netting  is  always  being  required. 
A  few  old,  half-rotted  stumps  placed  in  the 
compound  will  afford  the  geese  amusement 
and  occupation,  which  prevents  moping  when 
they  discover  their  freedom  has  its  limits. 

If  the  compound  is  spacious  and  the  grass 
thick,  a  feed  at  night  will  be  all  the  birds 
need;  but  as  the  pasture  fails,  breeding 
stock  must  be  regularly  and  judiciously  pro- 
vided for  —  the  object  being  to  keep  up 
strength  and  vitality,  so  insuring  early  and 
fertile  eggs,  but  to  avoid  food  which  might 
mitigate  the  desired  condition.  Breakfast  can 
be  turnips,  beets,  cabbage  —  or  any  other  veg- 

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etable  excepting  potatoes  —  boiled,  mashed, 
and  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of  wheat 
bran  and  a  fourth  of  ground  feed.  At 
noon,  cut  and  steamed  clover  hay,  or  chopped 
vegetables.  At  night,  about  half  a  small 
cupful  of  wheat  or  corn  for  each  bird.  Three 
times  a  week  add  meat  meal  to  the  mash, 
or  feed  green  cut  bone  at  noon.  Like  all 
other  poultry,  they  must  be  supplied  with 
sharp  grit,  old  plaster,  or  air-slacked  lime. 

A  goose  usually  selects  a  nest  in  February. 
A  hollow  in  the  ground  filled  with  hay  or 
a  shallow  box  on  the  floor  will  be  readily 
adopted.  Before  commencing  to  lay,  the 
goose  lines  her  nest  with  down  plucked  from 
her  own  breast;  and  after  laying,  the  egg  is 
covered  first  with  down,  and  then  with  what- 
ever may  be  within  reach  of  her  bill.  The 
first  fifteen  eggs  should  be  stolen  from  day  to 
day  as  laid,  cautiously  removing  the  covering 
and  replacing  it  when  the  birds  are  safely  out 
of  sight ;  as  both  goose  and  gander  will  strenu- 
ously resent  any  interference  with  the  nest, 

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and  a  blow  from  the  wing  of  either  is  seri- 
ously unpleasant.  Should  a  goose  become 
broody  early  in  the  season,  remove  her  from 
the  nest  and  incarcerate  in  a  wire  coop  within 
the  compound,  where  she  can  see  her  mates. 
Within  a  few  days  all  desire  to  sit  will  have 
left  her,  and  after  a  few  days  of  freedom 
she  will  commence  laying  again. 

The  second  clutch  of  eggs  she  should  be 
allowed  to  retain,  for  goslings  hatched  under 
the  oily  moisture  of  a  goose's  breast  are 
stronger,  and  so  desirable  for  future  stock. 
It  is  the  want  of  this  humid  warmth,  when 
ordinary  hens  are  used  to  incubate  such  large 
eggs,  that  necessitates  sprinkling  the  eggs 
two  or  three  times;  and  when  possible, 
making  the  nest  on  the  ground,  or  at  least 
cutting  the  sod  and  placing  it  at  the  bottom 
of  any  wooden  box  used  as  a  nest.  The 
eggs  take  from  twenty-eight  to  thirty  days 
to  incubate.  Goslings  require  virtually  the 
same  feed  and  general  care  as  young  ducks, 
the  only  difference  being  an  increase  of  grass 

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and  vegetables ;  so  we  will  combine  young 
ducks  and  goslings. 

When  ducks'  eggs  have  been  hatched  under 
hens,  they  need  only  be  allowed  to  brood 
them  for  three  weeks,  unless  the  weather  is 
very  cold;  in  which  case  leave  their  mother 
for  another  week.  Never  give  duck  intended 
for  eating  a  free  range;  it  toughens  and  pre- 
vents them  from  fattening.  On  the  other 
hand,  those  intended  for  stock  should  be 
allowed  plenty  of  room  to  roam  in  after 
they  are  four  weeks  old,  to  insure  strength 
and  growth. 

Young  ducks  and  goslings  must  starve  for 
the  first  twenty-four  hours  of  their  existence. 
Bill  of  fare  for  the  first  week  is  as  follows : 
half  a  pint  of  pinhead  oatmeal,  cracked 
wheat  or  stale  bread  crumbs,  two  hard- 
boiled  eggs  chopped  fine,  half  a  cup  of  coarse 
sand,  all  mixed  and  just  moistened  with 
scalding  milk.  Feed  five  times  a  day,  as 
much  as  they  will  eat  in  ten  minutes. 

Second  and  third  weeks :  half  a  pound  of 
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ground  oats,  the  same  of  coarse  sand,  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  beef  meal,  a  pint  of  finely 
cut  green  clover,  rye,  or  cabbage  moistened 
with  scalded  milk.  Feed  four  times  a  day. 

Four  to  six  weeks:  boil  a  quart  of  hulled 
oats  for  an  hour,  add  one  pint  of  corn  meal, 
wheat  bran,  half  a  pint  of  fine  grit,  the  same 
of  beef  scraps,  one  quart  of  clover  or  any  green 
food.  Feed  four  times  per  diem. 

Six  to  ten  weeks :  one  quart  corn  meal, 
one  pint  wheat  bran,  a  pint  of  boiled  oats, 
pint  of  beef  scraps,  half  of  grit,  tablespoonful 
of  charcoal,  pint  of  clover.  Feed  three  times 
a  day.  Then  they  should  be  ready  to  kill. 

Those  to  be  kept  for  stock  have  the  same 
ration  until  three  weeks  old;  then  they  are 
given  equal  parts  of  ground  feed  and  bran 
moistened  with  milk  or  water.  Feed  twice 
a  day,  if  on  free  range;  if  yarded,  add  half  a 
cup  of  beef  scraps,  cut  clover,  or  vegetables 
to  double  the  quantity  of  grain. 

Young  ducks  are  very  nervous  and  will  not 
forget  a  scare  for  weeks.  You  can  persuade 

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them  to  go  in  any  direction  if  you  work  slowly 
and  quietly.  Hurry  excites  them,  and  they 
will  rush  shrieking  in  every  direction  except 
the  one  you  would  have  them  go.  Don't 
allow  any  one  to  run  them,  for  it  will  put  them 
back  from  one  to  three  weeks  and  waste  just 
that  amount  of  feed.  This  is  a  point  upon 
which  positive  and  repeated  demonstration 
enables  me  to  speak  with  special  authority. 
One  summer  we  had  a  yard  of  youngsters 
almost  ready  for  market,  when  a  friend  came 
down  to  spend  Sunday  with  us,  bringing  a 
young  fox  terrier  with  her,  to  give  him  a 
day's  exercise  in  the  country.  Our  own  dogs 
are  taught  to  take  their  exercise  in  the  woods, 
but  Mr.  City  Terrier  evidently  found  it  slow, 
for  during  dinner  there  was  a  great  clamor. 
On  a  poultry  and  pet  stock  farm,  if  one  animal 
sounds  the  note  of  alarm,  everything  joins 
in  and  there  is  a  conglomeration  of  peafowl, 
guinea-fowl,  hens,  ducks,  geese,  and  dogs, 
all  shrieking  in  fright  and  in  different  keys. 

We  laid  down  our  knives  and  forks,  looked 
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at  each  other  in  horror,  rushed  wildly  out  to 
locate  the  trouble,  and  were  met  by  Rover, 
the  head  of  my  four-footed  police,  and  piloted 
to  the  ducks'  quarters,  to  find  the  terrier 
visitor  in  the  pen  of  the  ducklings,  to  his  great 
amusement  and  their  distraction.  Needless 
to  say  that  was  the  end  of  his  day's  healthy 
exercise;  he  was  securely  locked  up  until  it 
was  time  to  go  home.  It  took  all  the  sooth- 
ing I  was  capable  of  to  quiet  the  ducklings. 
They  were  off  their  feed  for  days,  and  it  was 
fully  two  weeks  before  they  got  back  to  weight. 
With  the  old  ducks  there  is  the  danger  of 
their  rupturing  an  egg,  which  is  sure  to  cause 
trouble,  perhaps  death;  or  of  breaking  a 
leg,  which  means  killing. 

When  they  have  to  be  handled  to  weigh 
or  kill,  a  small  portable  "yard,"  tjiree  feet  by 
two  and  a  half,  made  of  laths  and  wire  net- 
ting, is  used.  It  has  a  gate  at  one  end, 
which  is  placed  at  the  gate  of  their  inclosure, 
and  those  wanted  are  driven  slowly  into  it. 
and  it  is  then  drawn  quite  away  from  the  pen. 

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The  space  being  small,  it  is  comparatively 
easy  to  capture  them.  To  avoid  alarming 
the  whole  farm,  you  take  them  up  bodily 
and  hold  their  bills. 

Do  all  work  of  this  sort  among  your  stock 
as  gently  as  possible,  talking  to  them  in  a 
soothing,  reassuring  way  all  the  time.  Noth- 
ing averts  so  many  accidents  as  accustoming 
your  stock  to  associate  your  voice  with  safety. 
This  is  true  not  only  with  poultry  and  pet 
stock,  but  with  all  animals  generally. 

THE   POULTRY   YARD 

The  hens  must  now  be  put  on  lighter  diet. 
Whole  corn  at  night  can  gradually  give  place 
to  wheat,  two  parts,  cracked  corn,  one  part. 
Morning  mash  can  have  an  increase  of  ground 
oats  and  a  corresponding  decrease  in  corn. 
Take  advantage  of  all  spring  greens,  remem- 
bering that  grass  must  be  cut  into  short 
lengths;  otherwise,  the  hens,  in  their  eager- 
ness to  get  the  desired  change  of  diet,  will 

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swallow  long  pieces,  which  are  apt  to  cause 
them  to  become  crop-bound. 

Be  especially  careful  about  removing  drop- 
pings under  the  roosts,  and  use  kerosene  oil 
and  carbolic  mixture  on  the  perches,  nests, 
etc.  Cool,  fresh  drinking  water  should  be 
before  them  all  the  time.  Dust  baths  will  be 
more  constantly  in  use  now  than  earlier  in 
the  season,  so  should  be  refilled  with  clean 
cool  ashes  or  dry  earth  two  or  three  times 
a  week.  (Let  me  caution  not  to  use  wood 
ashes  anywhere  round  hens  or  chicks,  be- 
cause, should  they  eat  them,  bowel  trouble 
will  be  the  result.)  Whitewash  the  house 
outside,  and  allow  plenty  of  ventilation. 

The  same  strenuous  cleanliness  must  be 
observed  in  the  pigeon-house.  These  warm 
days  all  sorts  of  bad  odors  arise  from  unsus- 
pected places;  so  go  through  stables,  sheds, 
and  cellar,  scattering  lime  in  corners  —  out 
of  the  stock's  reach,  of  course.  It  will 
purify  the  air,  and  kill  hundreds  of  embryo 
insects. 

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THE    ORCHARD 

Fences  and  the  trunks  of  orchard  trees  will 
be  benefited,  and  the  tidiness  of  the  farm 
greatly  accentuated,  if  whitewash  is  freely 
applied.  For  this  outside  work,  slack  half 
a  bushelful  of  lime  in  boiling  water,  add  two 
pounds  of  sulphate  of  zinc,  one  pound  of 
common  salt,  and  half  a  pound  of  whiting 
thoroughly  dissolved.  Mixed  to  a  proper 
consistency  for  use  with  skim-milk,  this  is  a 
whitewash  that  withstands  summer  rains 
almost  as  well  as  paint.  Before  applying 
to  the  fruit  trees,  give  them  a  dressing  with 
what  is  called  Bordeaux,  to  destroy,  or  better 
still  prevent,  any  of  the  fungoid  diseases 
attacking  them. 

Unless  suckers  and  dead  wood  were  re- 
moved last  fall,  hasten  to  demolish  all  such 
encumbrances  now.  Before  the  tree  breaks 
into  leaf,  a  thorough  spraying  should  be 
given;  for  which,  of  course,  a  properly  con- 
structed sprayer  will  have  to  be  purchased. 

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The  first  we  had  was  just  a  portable  pump 
with  a  seven-foot  hose  and  pole,  the  entire 
outfit  costing  only  $5.  It  was  useful,  but 
quite  inadequate  for  an  orchard  of  large 
trees.  Three  years  ago  we  indulged  in  a 
much  more  elaborate  pump,  with  a  lead  exten- 
sion pipe,  for  which  we  gave  $11.50;  and  had 
a  large  barrel  swung  on  a  pair  of  front  wheels 
of  an  old  wagon.  Poles  were  fastened  to 
the  sides  for  shafts,  so  that  a  horse  could  be 
hitched  to  it,  converting  what  had  been  a 
laborious  duty  into  a  light  occupation. 

The  Bordeaux  is  made  by  mixing  four 
pounds  of  copper  sulphate,  four  pounds  of 
lime,  in  fifty  gallons  of  water.  This  is  for 
fungoid  diseases.  Later,  for  the  general 
spraying,  add  four  ounces  of  paris  green. 
Please  understand  that  spraying  must  be  done 
before  the  blossom  breaks  forth,  and  again 
after  the  fruit  has  formed;  but  never  when 
the  blossom  is  in  a  transitory  condition. 

Caterpillar  nests,  which  look  like  bunches 
of  cobwebs  up  in  the  branches,  should  be 

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burnt  out.  Tie  some  old  woollen  rags  on  a 
long  pole,  pour  kerosene  oil  on  them,  light, 
and  hold  under  the  nest  until  it  is  entirely 
consumed.  Currant  bushes  need  spraying 
once  or  twice  before  blossoming;  otherwise 
they  will  usually  be  attacked  by  a  small, 
green  caterpillar  which  destroys  the  leaves. 
Dig  the  ground  round  the  roots,  and  keep 
clear  of  weeds  by  hoeing  once  a  week  through- 
.out  the  summer. 

Blackberry  and  raspberry  canes,  currant 
and  gooseberry  bushes,  young  apple,  pear, 
plum,  or  peach  trees,  must  all  be  planted 
before  the  15th  of  the  month. 

Seeds  planted  in  boxes  last  month  need 
pricking  out  into  small  individual  pots  or 
larger  boxes. 

THE    GARDEN 

Supposing  that  the  ground  was  ploughed 
and  harrowed  last  fall  or  last  month,  and  the 
posts  put  in  place  for  the  fence,  the  wire 
netting  can  now  be  erected  and  hand  culti- 

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vation  started.  Spare  no  pains  in  preparing 
the  ground  row  by  row,  as  wanted.  Rake 
again  and  again,  removing  every  stone  and 
weed  root;  then  scatter  commercial  fertilizer 
on  the  smooth  surface  and  work  thoroughly 
into  the  soil  with  a  rake. 

The  garden  line  is  indispensable  if  uniform 
accuracy  is  to  be  maintained,  and  without 
it  weeding  and  cultivating  of  seedlings  is 
almost  impossible.  Two  cedar  stakes  a  foot 
and  a  half  long  with  one  end  whittled  to  a 
point,  and  a  strong  cord  as  long  as  the  garden 
securely  tied  to  the  other  end,  will  answer  all 
purposes. 

Hurry  in  the  early  potatoes,  if  they  were 
delayed  last  month  —  of  course  including 
those  started  in  the  cereal  boxes.  The  space 
intended  for  carrots  requires  extremely  good 
cultivation,  for  the  soil  must  be  thoroughly 
pulverized.  Seeds  are  small,  and  slow  to 
germinate  under  natural  conditions;  so  we 
tie  them  in  a  piece  of  cheese-cloth,  steep  in 
water  for  twelve  hours,  then  hang  up  in  a 

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warm  room  to  drip  and  dry  sufficiently  to 
prevent  their  clinging  together  when  being 
planted,  which  must  be  done  before  they 
become  really  dry.  Another  aid  we  furnish 
these  delicate  seedlings  is  dropping  a  radish 
seed  every  six  inches,  because  they  germinate 
quickly  and  throw  a  strong  seed-leaf  which 
breaks  the  crust  over  the  row,  and  allows 
the  fragile  carrot  sprout  free  access.  Allow 
two  feet  from  the  last  row  of  potatoes,  stretch 
the  line,  and  with  a  pointed  stick  draw  a 
shallow  drill  in  which  to  scatter  the  seed. 
Covering  must  not  be  more  than  a  fourth 
of  an  inch,  and  press  down  firmly.  Between 
each  row  of  carrots  allow  one  foot.  Steep 
and  use  only  half  the  seed  at  the  first,  planting 
the  remainder  twenty  days  later.  With  good 
ground  and  cultivation,  you  should  have  car- 
rots for  the  table  about  the  last  week  in  June. 
Two  and  a  half  feet  space  must  divide 
carrots  from  beets.  Prepare  ground  as  be- 
fore, but  make  the  drill  a  full  inch  deep, 
dropping  seeds  half  an  inch  apart,  rows  two 

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feet  apart.  Should  be  ready  for  use  first 
week  in  June.  Keep  half  the  seed  for  late 
planting. 

Early  turnips  can  start  another  two  feet 
along.  Drill  half  an  inch  deep,  rows  a  foot 
apart.  First  of  All  peas  are  semi-dwarf, 
but  yield  much  better  if  given  some  support. 
We  plant  every  two  rows  seven  inches  apart, 
in  a  drill  one  inch  deep;  and  when  the  peas 
are  two  inches  high  stick  brush  between  the 
rows,  so  making  a  solid  hedge  of  vine  when 
developed.  Twin  rows  should  be  two  feet 
apart. 

For  onion  sets  make  drill  an  inch  and  a 
half  deep,  placing  the  sets  upright  and  from 
four  to  six  inches  apart.  Firm  the  earth  all 
round,  and  the  fourth  of  an  inch  over  them. 
These  will  furnish  early  onions  for  cooking 
and  the  main  winter  crop.  For  onion  seed, 
the  soil  cannot  be  too  carefully  prepared, 
for,  like  carrots,  they  are  long  in  germinating 
and  extremely  fragile.  A  few  radish  seeds 
can  again  be  used  as  pioneers.  The  reason 

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for  troubling  with  seed  at  all  is  twofold : 
it  furnishes  small  green  onions  for  the  table, 
and  sets  for  next  season  at  a  minimum  cost. 
Instead  of  commercial  fertilizer,  the  poultry 
droppings  are  used  for  onions,  being  reduced 
to  a  powder  by  grinding  in  an  old  chopping 
machine.  Sprinkle  freely  within  one  inch 
of  the  centre  of  the  row,  and  from  three  to 
four  inches  each  side  of  it.  Unless  rain  falls 
within  a  few  days,  water  very  thoroughly 
with  a  sprinkler.  Hen  droppings  seem  espe- 
cially desirable  for  all  bulbs  and  tubers. 

Lettuce  seed  requires  well-enriched  soil. 
Drill  a  fourth  of  an  inch  deep,  rows  one  foot 
apart. 

Radish  seed  for  a  small  family  should  be 
sown  in  five-feet  lengths,  at  intervals  of  ten 
days.  Cover  seed  one  third  of  an  inch, 
rows  six  inches  apart. 

From  the  time  seeds  are  put  into  the  ground, 
cultivation  must  be  continual ;  raking  be- 
tween rows  being  frequent  enough  to  destroy 
embryo  weeds.  Ten  minutes'  light  work  with 

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a  rake  before  weeds  develop  will  save  hours 
of  hard  labor  with  a  hoe.  Cultivation  is 
required,  not  only  to  destroy  weeds,  but  to 
supply  air,  and  encourage  all  the  moisture 
from  the  subsoil  to  travel  upwards,  so  nour- 
ishing the  plant  roots  as  they  develop  and 
preventing  the  soil  baking.  Not  cultivating 
the  ground  round  plants  is  as  injurious  to 
their  health  as  shutting  a  child  in  a  room 
without  ventilation. 

Lettuce,  cabbage,  and  cauliflower  plants, 
started  in  the  house  in  February,  should  now 
be  planted  out.  Prepare  the  rows  as  for 
seed,  set  the  line  up;  then  carry  out  the 
nursery  box  and  water  it  thoroughly  —  other- 
wise the  soil  will  fall  away  from  the  roots  as 
you  take  the  plants  out.  With  the  pointed 
stick  used  for  marking  the  rows,  make  holes 
directly  under  the  line  —  nine  inches  apart 
for  lettuce,  a  foot  for  cabbage  and  cauli- 
flower. Put  a  little  water  into  the  hole ;  then 
with  a  small  trowel  or  large  kitchen  spoon 
"scoop"  a  plant  out  of  the  box,  trying  to 

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take  all  the  earth  occupied  by  the  rootlets 
of  that  individual  plant.  Carefully  transfer 
from  the  spoon  into  the  hole,  allowing  it  to 
sink  up  to  the  first  leaves.  Pack  the  earth 
around  the  root  and  stem;  water  copiously; 
then  draw  dry  earth  up  over  the  wet  surface 
to  prevent  the  moisture  from  evaporating 
or  a  crust  forming.  To  promote  root  growth, 
cut  off  half  the  length  of  the  outer  leaves 
with  a  pair  of  sharp  scissors.  If  possible, 
provide  some  protection  from  the  midday 
sun  until  the  plants  are  established. 

The  straw,  or  whatever  the  strawberries 
were  covered  with  last  fall,  must  now  be 
removed  from  the  crowns  of  each  plant; 
or  if  they  are  in  matted,  continuous  rows, 
open  right  along,  but  keep  the  covering  close 
up  to  the  roots  at  the  sides.  Leaving  the 
covering  on  the  bed  prevents  weeds  springing 
or  moisture  escaping.  Should  there  be  late 
frost,  it  also  protects  the  roots;  and  lastly,  the 
fruit  when  gathered  is  free  from  sand  or  dirt, 
so  the  flavor  has  not  to  be  spoiled  by  washing. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Melons  and  cucumbers  started  in  the  house 
about  the  first  of  the  month  will  be  good- 
sized  plants  to  put  out  in  the  middle  of  May; 
and  fruit  can  safely  be  expected  three  or  four 
weeks  earlier  than  from  seed  sown  in  the 
open  ground  in  May. 

All  my  seedling  and  planting  experience  has 
been  gained  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York, 
and  will  not,  of  course,  apply  to  extreme 
North  or  South;  but  an  old  rotation  safe  to 
follow  is:  Peas,  spinach,  onions,  potatoes, 
cabbage,  lettuce,  and  radishes,  when  the 
peach  blossoms.  Turnips,  carrots,  corn,  and 
beets,  when  the  oak  leaf  breaks  from  its  bud. 
Beans,  cucumbers,  melons,  squash,  and  okra, 
when  the  blackberry  blossoms. 

Lay  out  an  herb  bed.  Our  grandmothers 
thought  much  of  their  value,  and  in  the 
country,  where  doctors  and  drug  stores  are 
not  next  door,  they  may  serve  for  persons 
as  well  as  stock. 

To  season  dressing  for  duck,  goose,  and 
pork,  sage  is  all  important;  not  less  are 

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savory,  thyme,  and  marjoram  for  chicken, 
turkey,  lamb,  and  mutton  stew.  Aniseed  and 
catnip  have  prevented  many  a  sleepless 
night  with  the  baby.  Wormwood,  saffron, 
and  tansy  belong  to  the  poultry  principally. 
Lavender  and  rosemary  give  the  linen  and 
wearing  apparel  a  delightful  odor,  and  keep 
away  moths.  Our  grandmothers  knew  a 
lot  of  things  which  meant  real  home  comfort, 
and  should  be  so  far  removed  from  insignifi- 
cance as  to  reach  the  point  of  reverence. 

The  novice  in  country  housekeeping  may 
not  know  that  many  of  the  wild  plants  of 
early  spring  make  delicious  greens  and  salads, 
and  possess  medical  qualities  which  it  is 
positively  sinful  to  neglect.  The  narrow 
plantain  leaves,  if  stripped  from  the  stem, 
boiled,  and  served  like  spinach,  are  delicious. 

A  most  appetizing  salad  can  be  gathered 
in  any  field  with  a  sharp  knife.  Cut  out  the 
tender  leaves  which  form  the  hearts  of  all 
dandelion  roots,  add  a  few  sorrel  leaves, 
wash,  place  in  a  cloth,  shake  off  all  the  water 

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as  you  would  with  any  other  salad,  cover  with 
French  dressing,  and  rejoice  that  you  have 
ceased  to  be  a  city  dweller. 

.1 

FLOWER   GARDEN 

Dig  and  fertilize  the  beds  so  that  they  are 
in  order  for  May  planting.  There  are  few 
flower  seeds  or  plants  which  it  is  safe  to  put 
out  before  then;  sweet  peas  being  the  one 
delightful  exception  of  my  experience.  A 
long  narrow  mass  shows  their  beauty  to  the 
greatest  advantage.  We  have  a  bed  two  feet 
wide  running  diagonally  between  the  front 
and  back  lawn,  from  which  blossoms  are  to 
be  gathered  all  through  the  summer.  Select 
the  desired  position,  and  have  one  foot  of  the 
surface  soil  removed.  Then  scatter  a  heavy 
covering  of  old  barnyard  manure,  to  be  dug 
in  to  the  depth  of  another  foot.  Replace  the 
soil  previously  removed,  mix  in  more  manure, 
so  that  when  finished  the  bed  is  well  enriched 
and  broken  to  the  depth  of  two  feet.  The 
seeds  are  best  pushed  into  the  soil,  two  inches 

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below  the  surface  and  half  an  inch  apart, 
patting  down  the  top  very  firmly.  This  may 
all  seem  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  but  sweet 
peas  positively  will  not  flourish  in  poorly 
prepared  beds.  A  really  good  galvanized 
trellis,  ten  feet  long,  with  stakes  at  the  end 
and  in  the  middle,  can  be  bought  for  75 
cents;  or  straight,  medium  thin  cedar  poles 
and  chicken  wire  can  be  utilized. 

Peonies,  shrubs,  and  all  established  plants 
must  be  dug  round  and  fertilized  before  the 
15th  of  the  month. 

THE    BARN 

With  the  first  days  of  April  the  grass  com- 
mences to  spring,  and  it  will  benefit  the  cow 
to  get  out  into  the  pasture  from  nine  in  the 
morning  until  three  in  the  afternoon ;  but  not 
until  the  15th  of  the  month  is  it  wise  to  com- 
mence cutting  down  stall  rations.  From  that 
date  noon  feed  can  be  omitted,  and  night  and 
morning  gradually  decreased,  until  by  the  1st 
of  May  she  depends  entirely  on  the  pasture. 
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CHAPTER    IX 

MAY 

course  every  self-supporting  home  will 
desire  to  raise  its  own  national  Thanks- 
giving dinner ;  therefore  turkeys  must  augment 
the  stock.  The  prevailing  idea  that  these 
birds  are  difficult  to  raise  compelled  our 
outraging  patriotic  customers  for  several  sea- 
sons, until  my  admiration  for  a  beautiful 
white  gobbler  at  a  poultry  show  brought 
about  an  introduction  to  his  owner,  and  sub- 
sequently an  arrangement  to  spend  a  week 
on  his  farm,  studying  in  actual  operation  the 
methods  of  feeding  and  brooding  formulated 
during  the  twelve  years  he  had  made  a  busi- 
ness of  marketing  turkeys. 

The  farm  was  situated  on  the  side  of  a  hill, 
sufficiently  imposing  to  be  called  a  mountain 
by  the  New  England  folks.  To  one  side  of 
the  house  and  barn  sixty  acres  were  heavily 

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wooded.  Perhaps  fifty  yards  down  the  slope 
was  a  clearing  where  stone  had  been  exca- 
vated years  before,  leaving  about  an  acre 
of  shale-covered  ground  backed  with  rocks 
twenty  feet  high  at  the  summit,  and  sloping 
down  at  the  sides  to  the  natural  contour  of 
the  mountain.  In  the  pre-commercial  days 
the  small  flock  of  turkeys  which  were  left 
almost  entirely  to  their  own  devices  found 
this  rock-sheltered  spot,  adopted  it  as  a  breed- 
ing ground,  nesting  in  the  brush  and  rearing 
such  a  goodly  number  of  youngsters  season 
after  season,  that  when  repeated  poor  crops 
made  the  farmer  resolve  to  turn  his  attention 
to  poultry  farming,  he  wisely  allowed  himself 
to  be  guided  by  the  old  bird's  instinct,  and 
adapted  the  chosen  land  to  growing  require- 
ments rather  than  risk  moving  the  stock  to 
other,  personally  more  convenient,  quarters. 
Some  half  acre  of  the  ground  was  enclosed 
with  wire  netting  and  divided  into  three 
immense  yards  in  which  strange  birds  were 
to  be  controlled  and  young  reared. 

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During  the  winter  months,  when  most 
flocks  of  turkeys  are  left  to  forage  for  them- 
selves, these  people  give  theirs  the  best  of 
care  to  insure  strong,  fertile  eggs.  A  very 
general  mistake  seems  to  be  neglect  of  the 
breeding  stock,  for  it  is  a  waste  of  time  to 
hatch  eggs  so  poor  in  vitality  that  the  results 
die  off  after  a  few  days'  miserable  existence. 
It's  true  turkeys  live  almost  exclusively  on 
insects;  but  frost  destroys  this  natural  food 
supply,  which  makes  it  imperative  that  meat 
and  bone  should  be  fed.  The  master  of 
the  farm  laughed  at  me  when  I  confessed 
that  I  had  always  believed  that  a  little  corn 
at  night  was  all  they  needed.  He  told  me 
that  after  January  1  his  birds  received  regular 
meals.  Two  mornings  a  week  their  break- 
fast consisted  of  boiled  oats  with  chopped 
meat  added;  on  other  days  scalded  clover, 
hay,  and  ground  feed.  Supper  is  of  whole 
corn  and  barley,  alternated  with  cracked 
corn  and  Kafir-corn  in  moderate  quantities, 
as  breeding  birds  must  not  get  too  fat. 

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Early  in  the  spring  flocks  of  eight  turkey- 
hens  and  a  gobbler  were  placed  in  two  of 
the  yards,  the  original  five  old  females  and 
gobbler  left  on  free  range;  so  there  were 
twenty-one  hens  to  gather  eggs  from,  all  the 
first  being  stolen  and  set  under  common 
hens;  but  when  it  grew  near  the  end  of  the 
season  and  the  turkey-hens  began  to  get 
broody,  they  were  allowed  to  sit. 

If  permitted  to  obey  their  own  inclination, 
young  turkeys  will  gobble  up  an  amount  of 
food  they  have  not  the  power  to  digest. 
Little  and  often  must  be  their  feeding  rule. 
The  owner  of  the  farm  I  am  writing  of 
thinks  that  his  great  success  is  due  to  the 
land  on  which  his  birds  are  kept,  —  the  rocks 
and  gravel  never  getting  damp  enough  to 
hurt  the  young  birds,  excessive  care  not  to 
inbreed,  and  periodical  introduction  of  wild 
blood. 

My  own  experience  was  with  White  Hol- 
land turkeys.  For  small  flocks  this  strain 
seems  preferable,  being  much  more  domes- 

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ticated  than  the  Bronze.  We  covered  an 
open  shed  with  wire  netting,  made  two  nests 
out  of  half  barrels,  screening  them  thor- 
oughly with  cedar  boughs,  putting  up  a  roost 
which  measured  ten  inches  around ;  then  pro- 
cured a  trio  of  birds,  and  kept  them  shut  up 
for  three  weeks,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
time  the  wire  netting  was  removed  after 
dark  one  night.  It  sufficed;  the  birds  al- 
ways roosted  and  laid  there,  never  wander- 
ing far  away.  I  have  been  told  by  a  most 
reliable  informant  that  thin  roosts  on  which 
heavy  birds  do  not  feel  safe  are  most  fre- 
quently the  cause  of  turkeys  preferring  to 
sleep  in  trees. 

I  adopted  the  plan  of  setting  the  eggs, 
which  take  twenty-nine  days  to  incubate 
under  ordinary  hens.  Having  no  old  stone 
ground  on  my  farm,  a  strip  of  high  ground 
partly  covered  with  brush  was  fenced 
as  a  compound;  and  from  a  near-by  stone- 
crusher  several  loads  of  waste  gravel  were 
carted  and  deposited  in  the  most  sheltered 

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corner.  For  green  food  we  depended  almost 
entirely  on  what  we  fed,  and  raised  them 
as  easily  as  young  chickens.  We  kept  them 
in  the  enclosure  for  nine  weeks,  during 
which  time  their  feed  was  very  like  that  of 
young  chicks.  After  the  first  week,  cottage 
cheese,  boiled  liver  with  onions  and  garlic, 
all  chopped  and  mixed  with  pinhead  oat- 
meal, crumbled  corn-cake  or  boiled  barley, 
and,  of  course,  scalded  clover.  I  am  a 
strong  believer  in  green  onions  or  garlic 
for  all  young  birds,  they  keeping  the  liver 
active;  and  any  farm  can  easily  provide 
them. 

Until  two  months  old,  the  most  impera- 
tive requisite  for  turkeys  are  freedom  from 
damp,  and  cleanliness.  Therefore,  you  can 
imagine  my  astonishment  when,  going  up 
to  a  farm  on  business,  I  saw  a  large  gray 
goose  coming  from  the  barn  followed  by  a 
large  clutch  of  young  turkeys.  I  questioned 
the  farm  lady  and  was  told  that  she  was  a 
very  old  goose,  the  only  one  on  the  place,  and 

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kept  merely  because  she  had  been  the  boys' 
pet.  One  day  they  found  her  sitting  on  a  nest 
of  eggs,  and  knowing,  of  course,  that  as  she 
was  a  solitary  person  the  eggs  would  not 
hatch,  they  removed  them  to  prevent  her 
sitting.  All  being  busy  people,  and  not  espe- 
cially interested  in  pet  stock,  no  more  was 
thought  of  the  poor  old  goose's  maternal 
desires  until  four  weeks  later,  when  she  ap- 
peared with  a  brood  of  turkeys  who  accepted 
her  as  their  mother.  The  only  solution  is 
that  being  deprived  of  her  own,  she  stole  a 
turkey's  nest  and  hatched  the  eggs;  and,  I 
believe,  succeeded  in  rearing  her  odd  family 
to  profitable  market  age. 

POULTRY   YARD 

The  last  chapter  fully  explained  our  sys- 
tem of  caring  for  infant  chicks,  whether 
born  under  artificial  conditions  or  devel- 
oped under  the  breast  of  a  motherly  Biddy 
in  the  good  old-fashioned  way.  Real  in- 

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fant  things  receive  every  care  because  they 
appeal  to  the  sentimental  feeling  possessed 
by  all  humanity  for  babies.  They  grow, 
get  long  legged,  ugly,  uninteresting,  and  are 
neglected  disastrously.  Don't  let  this  hap- 
pen, for  it  jeopardizes  success  and  diminishes 
profit. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  say  that  chickens 
for  market  should  be  plump;  but  it  will 
be  helpful  to  state  their  ten-weeks-old  weight 
should  be  in  the  close  neighborhood  of  a 
pound  and  a  half.  To  acquire  this,  they 
must  be  kept  growing  in  frame  and  flesh,  so 
that  they  double  in  weight  every  ten  days 
up  to  the  fortieth  day.  After  that,  their 
increase  is  neither  so  fast  nor  sure,  but  they 
must  be  kept  going.  If  they  fall  back  now, 
it  will  not  only  postpone  summer  sales,  but 
delay  egg  production  next  fall. 

Carefully  cull  the  chicks,  keep  the  best  to 
augment  egg  production  next  fall;  let  the 
others  go  to  market. 

Chickens  over  eight  weeks  old  intended 
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for  the  market  should  be  confined  in  yards 
with  coops  three  by  six  feet,  with  a  couple 
of  roosts  not  more  than  a  foot  from  the 
ground.  One  of  these  coops  will  comfort- 
ably house  thirty  chicks.  Two  or  three 
incubator  firms  manufacture  and  ship  them 
all  ready  for  use,  for  $6  each;  but  you 
can  make  quite  respectable  ones  out  of 
piano  cases  or  large-sized  packing  boxes, 
roofing  paper,  and  wire  netting,  which  will 
cost  from  $1.50  to  $2.50.  These  coops  are 
best  without  floors,  and  all  that  is  necessary 
in  the  way  of  cleaning  is  their  removal  to  a 
fresh  spot  once  every  three  days.  If,  how- 
ever, the  land  is  damp,  a  floor  is  necessary. 
The  three  deadly  enemies  to  poultry  all  be- 
gin with  the  same  letter — D — damp,  draught, 
and  dirt. 

For  future  layers  I  choose  those  most 
active  in  manner,  most  compact  in  build, 
with  good-sized,  bright  eyes.  There  is  a 
certain  something  about  a  chicken  which 
suggests  the  profitable  fowl  of  the  future, 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

but  definite,  actual  points  are  hard  to  cata- 
logue. If  you  are  really  interested  in  fowls, 
you  will  feel  what  I  mean  better  that  a  hun- 
dred thousand  words  could  explain;  and  if 
you  are  not,  a  hundred  thousand  thousand 
would  not  tell  you. 

Do  not  allow  cockerels  in  your  flock  if 
you  can  help  it;  but  when  they  are  young, 
mistakes  are  easy.  When  they  occur,  rec- 
tify as  soon  as  discovered.  Even  chick 
pullets  do  not  flourish  if  males  are  in  the 
flock;  therefore  keep  all  the  latter  in  the 
market  enclosure  unless,  of  course,  you  have 
been  breeding  from  choice  thoroughbred 
birds;  in  which  case,  the  best  of  the  cock- 
erels must  be  kept  to  sell  in  the  fall  as  stock. 

The  best  place  to  erect  the  young  pullets' 
enclosure  is  in  the  orchard,  for  the  patches 
of  sun  and  shade  it  furnishes  seem  just  what 
they  want.  Failing  that,  or  a  spot  that  has 
some  brush  on  it,  you  must  put  up  a  few  shade 
boards.  Cut  four  thin  cedar  posts  four  feet 
long,  point  one  end,  hammer  them  into  the 

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ground  at  equal  distances,  adding  a  roof  of 
light  timber;  or  even  nail  some  young  cedars 
across  and  cover  with  brush. 

The  food  of  young  pullets  must  be  varied 
to  keep  them  growing,  continuously  but  not 
too  rapidly,  because  sturdy,  strong  frames 
are  necessary.  Hulled  oats,  animal  food, — 
either  meat,  meal,  beef  scraps,  or  scraps  from 
the  butcher,  —  wheat,  and  cracked  corn  should 
be  the  staple. 

In  the  morning  mash  a  quart  each  of 
ground  oats,  corn  meal,  animal  meal,  two 
quarts  of  bran,  all  mixed  and  moistened  with 
water.  If  you  feed  fresh  scraps  from  the 
butcher  instead  of  any  of  the  animal  meals, 
give  them  at  mid-day,  mixing  the  mash  with 
milk  if  you  have  it,  adding  green  cut  bone 
twice  a  week. 

Naturally,  if  the  pullets  cannot  be  on  a 
grass  run,  you  must  provide  them  with 
green  food  —  cut  grass,  plantain,  clover,  let- 
tuce. All  birds  must  have  green  stuff.  If 
you  have  a  large  enough  place  to  allow  the 

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young  pullets  to  be  kept  on  the  colonizing 
plan  without  any  enclosure,  so  much  the 
better;  but  the  roosting  coops  must  be  at 
least  fifty  feet  apart,  with  fresh,  cool  water  in 
thoroughly  clean  fountains,  and  good  sharp 
grit  close  to  the  coops.  On  the  care  of 
these  youngsters  depends  next  winter's  eggs 
and  profit,  so  do  not  grudge  it. 

Market  chickens  go  into  the  enclosure 
provided  for  them  and  must  receive  differ- 
ent feed,  as  they  now  want  flesh  rather  than 
either  frame  or  muscle.  Keep  the  pen  well 
sorted  out,  shipping  as  the  chickens  come  to 
the  pound-and-a-half  and  two-pound  weight. 

COW  AND   CALF 

As  the  time  drew  near  for  the  coming  of 
the  calf,  a  frightful  anxiety  assailed  me.  What 
ought  to  be  done?  What  should  not  be 
done?  She  was  still  giving  us  four  quarts 
of  milk  night  and  morning.  A  visionary 
idea  kept  floating  through  my  memory  of 

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some  one  having  said  she  ought  to  be  "  dried 
up"  six  weeks  prior  to  the  event;  but  if 
true,  how  on  earth  could  it  be  accomplished, 
when  the  man  from  whom  we  had  bought 
her  had  said  most  emphatically,  "  Be  sure  to 
milk  dry,  or  she'll  get  milk  fever  "  ? 

The  boy  of  fifteen,  who  was  my  only  assist- 
ant, I  had  taught  to  milk;  so  from  him  no 
advice  could  be  expected.  At  last  it  occurred 
to  me  that  a  few  judicious  questions  to  old 
Reika  on  wash  day  would  probably  elicit 
the  desired  information.  So,  even  remem- 
bering the  contempt  my  ignorance  had  pre- 
viously called  forth,  I  resolved  to  smother 
pride  and  consult  the  oracle;  for  the  rough 
old  Dutch  woman  possessed  a  fund  of  versa- 
tile knowledge  and  humane  sympathy  that 
made  her  advice  invaluable  to  man  and  beast 
alike  when  miles  away  from  a  doctor  or  a 
veterinary.  So  much  of  my  "  gumption" 
originated  with  the  quaint  old  person,  that 
it  seems  only  just  to  publicly  acknowledge 
my  debt,  though  Reika  will  never  know  it. 

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To  return  to  Cush:  It  is  well  to  gradually 
lower  the  supply  of  grain  feed  some  six  weeks 
before  she  is  due;  but  take  no  severe  means 
of  drying  up  the  milk.  Rachel,  our  first 
cow,  would  slowly  decrease  in  quantity  dur- 
ing the  last  two  months,  but  not  go  dry 
until  within  about  ten  days  of  the  allotted 
time,  which  varies  from  two  hundred  and 
seventy-four  to  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven  days;  but  her  daughter,  Daisy,  never 
went  entirely  dry.  Still,  I  could  not  discover 
that  it  made  the  slightest  difference  in  her  later 
milking.  As  the  ground  feed  is  diminished, 
wheat,  bran,  and  oil  meal  take  its  place, — three 
parts  of  the  former  to  one  of  the  latter ;  and 
noon  feed  consists  of  chopped  vegetables  only. 
For  spring  calving  turn  the  cow  out  to  pasture 
as  early  as  possible ;  for  the  young  grass  and 
weeds  possess  medical  properties  which  no 
mere  human  knowledge  can  substitute.  Un- 
less the  weather  is  extremely  unclement,  allow 
the  cow  out-of-door  exercise  and  plenty  of  fresh 
air  at  all  times  of  the  year. 

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Have  a  stall  or  temporary  accommodation 
prepared  for  the  calf,  as  far  removed  from 
the  cow's  stall  as  possible.  Where  or  what- 
ever it  is,  it  should  be  light  and  well  venti- 
lated, positively  free  from  damp,  projecting 
or  jagged  nails  or  timber,  and  well  bedded 
with  clean,  sweet  straw. 

After  the  two  hundred  and  seventieth  day, 
it  is  well  for  the  cow  to  have  free  access  to 
her  stall  all  through  the  day  and,  of  course, 
to  be  housed  at  night.  Her  bed  should  be 
deep  and  clean.  Dirty  stables  are  the  usual 
cause  of  blood  poisoning  and  all  the  kindred 
troubles  of  dam  and  calf.  Always  leave  the 
cow  untethered  at  such  times.  Rarely  is 
any  assistance  required,  though  we  keep  a 
close  watch,  and  prolonged  restlessness  is 
taken  as  a  signal  of  distress,  which  we  at- 
tempt to  relieve  by  offering  a  warm  drink 
consisting  of  a  pail  of  water  into  which  a 
handful  each  of  bran  and  oil  meal  have  been 
stirred. 

When  the  calf  is  dropped,  unless  the  cow 
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commences  to  lick  it  at  once,  scatter  a  little 
salt  over  its  body,  which  will  attract  her  to 
the  duty.  When  the  calf  looks  dry,  remove 
to  its  own  stall,  again  offer  the  cow  a  warm 
drink  prepared  as  before,  and  let  her  first 
feed  consist  of  chopped  pumpkin  with  bran 
scattered  over  it.  Rub  and  knead  the 
udder  with  a  firm,  gentle  touch  for  a  few 
minutes;  then  milk.  For  a  few  days  it  will 
be  well  to  milk  at  least  three  times  a  day,  — 
morning,  noon,  and  evening.  After  winter 
calving,  let  the  return  to  full  feed  be  as  grad- 
ual as  was  the  decrease.  Spring  and  summer 
cows  can  go  back  on  to  pasture  the  second 
day. 

By  taking  the  calf  right  away  from  the  cow 
before  it  has  nursed  at  all,  the  trouble  and 
cruelty  of  weaning  is  spared  you  and  the  ani- 
mals. The  prevailing  custom  of  leaving  the 
calf  with  the  cow  three  or  four  weeks,  and 
then  ruthlessly  separating  them,  should 
never  be  tolerated.  The  first  milk  taken 
from  the  cow  must  be  given  to  the  calf,  as 
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it  possesses  certain  qualities  necessary  to 
arouse  digestive  and  other  functions  of  the 
body. 

Teaching  a  new-born  calf  to  drink  is  a 
much  easier  matter  than  trying  to  persuade 
it,  when  four  weeks  old,  that  a  pail  is  a  sub- 
stitute for  its  mother.  Moreover,  at  that 
age,  it  possesses  strength  enough  to  make 
its  teeth  and  impatient  butts  anything  but 
pleasant.  The  new-born  baby  will,  within 
a  few  hours,  be  assailed  by  hunger;  and  not 
having  acquired  a  knowledge  of  nursing, 
or  even  a  consciousness  of  mother,  it  can 
draw  no  uncomplimentary  comparisons  be- 
tween maternal  and  pail  methods  or  quality 
of  the  proffered  sustenance,  which  consists 
for  three  days  of  milk  as  taken  from  the 
cow.  Second  three  days,  half-skim,  half- 
fresh  milk. 

Feed  five  times:  Breakfast,  six  o'clock; 
lunch,  nine-thirty;  dinner,  twelve;  tea, 
three;  supper,  six-thirty.  Quantity,  about 
three  pints  to  a  meal.  Second  week,  all 

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/ 
skim   milk,    warmed   to   resemble   new   milk. 

Third  week,  one  quart  of  ground  feed  and 
one  quart  of  oil  meal,  boiled  in  four  quarts 
of  water  for  one  hour,  strained,  and  the  liq- 
uid divided  amongst  the  day's  meals.  Give 
only  half  the  lunch  feed,  adding  the  deducted 
quantity  to  breakfast  and  supper.  Fourth 
week,  skip  the  nine-thirty  lunch  altogether. 
Fifth  week,  three  o'clock  tea  also  merges 
into  supper.  Keep  up  the  three  feeds  a 
day  until  nine  weeks  old,  when  the  calf  will 
commence  to  nibble  hay,  and  should  have 
a  little  of  the  best  in  the  barn.  At  noon  give 
a  drink  of  milk  and  water,  about  equal 
parts.  From  this  time  on,  the  milk  can  be 
gradually  decreased,  being  replaced  by  more 
well-boiled  feed;  but  remember  that  it  is 
better  to  underfeed  than  to  overfeed  a  heifer 
calf,  for  the  desire  is  to  make  strength  and 
bone  rather  than  flesh. 

We  teach  the  babies  to  drink  by  dipping 
two  fingers  into  the  pail  and  then,  holding 
the  hand  palm  upwards,  rubbing  the  mois- 

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tened  fingers  between  the  calf's  lips  until 
it  can  be  persuaded  to  take  the  fingers  into 
its  mouth,  when  a  little  milk  is  poured  into 
the  palm  of  the  hand  and,  of  course,  trickles 
down  the  fingers  into  the  baby's  mouth. 
As  it  commences  ,to  suck,  the  hand  is  lowered 
into  the  pail  under  the  milk,  and  as  the  com- 
forting influence  of  the  feed  is  experienced, 
the  fingers  are  slowly  withdrawn.  Almost 
always  this  is  vigorously  resented,  and  the 
performance  has  to  be  repeated  many  times 
before  the  whole  supply  of  milk  is  consumed; 
but  usually  patient  perseverance  will  be  re- 
warded by  the  calf  becoming  self-feeding 
within  a  week.  I  have  had  some  that  would 
suck  up  the  milk  from  the  pail  after  the 
first  introduction;  others  that  would  have 
tried  Job's  patience. 

One  thing  must  be  thoroughly  understood, 
or  your  troubles  will  be  many:  Never  try 
to  save  time  by  allowing  the  calf  to  retain 
your  fingers  all  through  the  meal.  Such 
indulgence  would  be  as  difficult  to  correct 

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as  weaning  from  its  mother.  I  made  this 
mistake  with  Daisy,  and  she  was  an  unman- 
ageable terror  when,  at  five  weeks  old,  I 
attempted  to  enforce  discipline.  She  would 
stand  as  quiet  as  the  proverbial  lamb  until 
she  detected  my  fingers  slipping  away;  then 
a  sudden  baa,  a  simultaneous  plunge,  would 
upset  pail,  milk,  and  my  poor  self.  After 
two  weeks  of  disastrous  battle,  we  had  to 
starve  her  into  submission. 


VEGETABLE     GARDEN 

Tomatoes,  peppers,  and  egg-plants  should 
be  bedded  out  about  the  20th  of  the  month. 
Tomatoes  and  egg-plants  stand  two  and 
a  half  feet  apart,  each  one  in  ground 
very  heavily  enriched  to  a  depth  of  three 
feet  and  a  circumference  of  two  feet.  Pur- 
sue the  same  method  of  planting  as  for  cab- 
bage, except  that  instead  of  cutting  the 
leaves  across,  nip  out  the  two  heart  leaves 
of  each  plant.  Checking  top  growth  makes 

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the  plant  branch  and  form  a  stocky  bush 
instead  of  spindly  top  growth  that  will 
break  under  the  weight  of  fruit  when  it 
forms. 

Prepare  "hills,"  as  the  allotted  space  for 
wide-spreading  plants  is  still  misleadingly 
called,  in  the  same  way  and  distance  as  for 
tomatoes,  and  sow  cucumbers,  white  squash, 
winter  squash,  and  muskmelon  by  the  12th 
of  the  month,  five  seeds  to  a  hill.  Press 
into  the  soil  about  an  inch  deep  and  two 
inches  apart. 

Okra  should  be  planted  in  rows,  seeds 
three  inches  apart,  one  inch  deep.  Sweet 
corn,  ditto.  Lettuce  sown  in  the  open 
ground  last  month  will  want  transplanting 
for  heads.  The  green-pod  beans  are  planted 
in  a  continous  row,  seeds  two  inches  apart, 
one  inch  deep.  Make  a  shallow  furrow  as 
for  peas. 

Thin  out  carrots  to  an  inch  apart  in  row. 
Turnips  and  beets,  five  inches  apart.  Keep 
every  inch  of  broken  ground  cultivated  and 

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free  from  weeds,  and  onions  well  earthed  up 
to  the  roots. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  month  suspend 
small  looking-glasses  here  and  there  in  the 
cherry  trees,  from  a  piece  of  string  about  a  foot 
long,  so  that  they  will  turn  and  twist  with 
every  breath  of  wind.  They  can  be  bought 
for  5  cents  each,  and  the  perpetually  chang- 
ing reflections  scare  the  birds  away  and  save 
many  pounds  of  fruit. 

If  there  is  no  asparagus  bed  on  the  farm, 
now  is  the  time  to  rectify  the  neglect.  Fifty 
feet  by  seventeen  will  be  about  enough. 
Trenches  three  feet  deep  should  be  dug 
every  three  feet,  a  layer  of  manure  a  foot 
deep  placed  at  the  bottom,  part  of  the  earth 
returned,  another  layer  of  manure,  the 
whole  to  be  well  mixed  and  thoroughly  pul- 
verized. In  fact,  the  trenches  should  be 
prepared  as  for  sweet-peas.  Fill  the  trenches 
to  within  six  inches  of  the  top,  seed,  and 
cover  to  the  depth  of  four  inches.  When 
the  young  plants  are  two  or  three  inches 

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high,  fill  up  the  trenches  to,  or  a  little  above, 
surface  level.  Seed  will  only  cost  15 
cents,  and  a  few  dinners  of  small  stalks  can 
be  cut  next  year,  a  really  good  supply  the 
second  year,  and  the  third  a  full  crop  from 
which  three  cuttings  can  be  made.  If,  in- 
stead of  seed,  two-year-old  plants  are  set, 
they  will  cost  $1.50  a  hundred,  and  not  give 
a  very  superior  return. 

Plant  sunflowers  in  all  the  odd  corners 
and  devote  a  small  patch  to  them,  not  just 
to  enhance  the  ornamental  appearance  of 
the  place,  but  as  a  welcome  change  in  feed 
for  the  poultry  on  winter  nights,  when  it 
will  furnish  them  with  as  much  fat  to  be 
converted  into  warmth  as  does  whole  corn. 

Field  corn  should  be  planted  by  the 
15th,  and  if  poultry  is  the  main  considera- 
tion, the  Early  Butler  is  the  best  variety  be- 
cause the  kernels  are  small. 

If  there  are  no  trees  in  the  chicken  yards, 
they  can  still  be  planted.  Plums,  peaches, 
and  cherries  are  all  good  fruits  for  the  purpose, 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

as  the  constant  ploughing  necessary  to  keep 
the  yards  clean  for  the  hens  stirs  the  earth 
round  the  trees  and  turns  in  well -fertilized 
surface  earth,  supplying  the  trees  with  valu- 
able food.  Then  hens,  by  eating  the  wind- 
falls, decrease  the  source  of  insect  life  and 
the  enemies  which  usually  attack  plums. 
In  return  the  trees  will  afford  the  hens 
welcome  shade  from  summer  sun. 


FLOWER    GARDEN 

It  will  be  safe  after  the  10th  or  12th 
of  the  month  to  set  out  all  ordinary  plants. 
If  you  have  house  plants  to  bed  out,  water 
some  time  before  taking  from  the  pots  to 
set  the  mould.  Then  turn  the  plant  upside 
down  in  the  left  hand  if  size  permits,  putting 
three  fingers  each  side  of  stalk  of  the  plant, 
and  with  a  pencil  or  small  stick  push  from 
the  bottom  through  the  drainage  hole,  until 
the  whole  contents  is  loose  and  rests  on  the 
hand.  If  it  is  a  solid  mass  of  matted  roots 

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when  the  pot  is  removed,  press  slightly 
between  your  hands  before  planting  in  the 
hole  which  must  be  prepared  to  receive  it. 

If  you  have  specially  fine  plants  that  you 
desire  to  keep  for  next  winter  in  the  house, 
instead  of  removing  from  their  pots,  make  a 
hole  large  enough  to  bury  the  pot  above  the 
rim;  for  by  so  doing  the  roots  are  kept  in 
control,  making  it  easier  to  remove  the  en- 
tire plant  in  the  fall  and  repot  for  house  with 
little  check. 

All  the  seedlings  which  have  been  raised  in 
the  nursery  boxes  can  also  be  bedded,  and 
most  of  the  annuals  sown.  Pansy  seeds 
sown  in  the  open  ground  now  will  bloom 
late  in  the  fall  when  the  plants  now  being 
bedded  have  run  out.  Chrysanthemums 
should  be  planted  out  now  for  fall  flowering, 
and  slips  taken  plentifully  from  old  plants 
which  have  been  flowering  through  the 
winter  in  the  house. 

Watch  the  rose-bushes    closely  for  insects. 

Whale-oil  soap  and  rain  water,  gently  sponged 

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under  the  leaves,  is  the  best  preventive  of 
green  fly.  Get  a  tight  barrel,  put  about  a 
pailful  of  the  cow's  droppings  into  it,  fill  up 
with  rain  water,  stir  thoroughly,  let  it  stand 
for  twenty-four  hours,  and  then  use  the  liquid 
around  the  roots  of  the  roses.  Repeat  the 
tonic  once  a  week. 


219 


CHAPTER  X 

JUNE 

IpILTHY  lucre"  is  such  a  factor  in  our 
-*-  environment  that  a  moderate  income 
usually  prohibits  the  beautification  of  our  do- 
mains, reducing  us  to  the  colorless  monotony 
of  mere  tidiness,  excepting  in  rare  instances 
when  nature  has  been  recklessly  bountiful  in 
her  gifts.  This  is  the  case  with  pheasants, 
which  have  the  rare  combination  of  being 
ornamental  and  profitable;  which  makes 
them  a  necessary  addition  to  the  country 
home  of  self-supporting  aspirants,  instead  of 
a  prohibited  extravagance. 

If  you  have  never  seen  a  pair  of  golden 
pheasants  sunning  themselves  on  a  fine  day, 
you  cannot  realize  what  a  desirable  acquisi- 
tion a  pen  of  these  glorious  Oriental  birds  is 
to  the  garden  or  grounds;  but  as  we  are 

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pledged  to  the  practical,  not  the  aesthetic,  their 
market  value  must  receive  first  consideration. 

Aviaries  have  become  so  universal  since 
fashion  decreed  that  a  wealthy  man  must  own 
a  country  estate  to  be  among  the  elite,  that 
the  demand  for  birds  of  handsome  plumage 
far  exceeds  the  supply.  The  Lady  Amherst, 
Reeves,  Golden,  Silver,  and  some  half  dozen 
other  fancy  pheasants  head  the  list  of  favor- 
ites. 

Then  a  big  estate  is  not  complete  without 
game  preserves  for  the  lords  of  creation  to 
shoot  over;  so,  like  our  English  cousins  of 
high  degree,  Americans  now  spend  large  sums 
each  year  in  stocking  their  woodlands  with 
game,  this  consisting  chiefly  of  the  plebeian 
members  of  this  same  pheasant  family,  known 
as  the  English  and  Ring-neck.  This  makes 
it  advisable  to  keep  at  least  one  pair  or  trio 
of  ornamental  pheasants  for  aviaries;  and  of 
the  common  for  stocking  preserves. 

My  personal  experience  has  been  confined 
to  the  Golden  and  the  Ring-neck.  A  Sea- 

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bright  bantam,  which  earned  the  name  of 
"Little  Mother"  because  of  her  abnormal 
spirit  of  maternity,  hatched  four  of  the  five 
Ring-neck  eggs  purchased  in  April  of  our  first 
year  on  the  farm.  Not  knowing  the  extraordi- 
nary capacity  of  this  special  baby  for  dis- 
appearing through  any  available  crack  as 
soon  as  hatched,  only  one  was  rescued  alive; 
but  another  banty  was  set  late  in  May  on 
another  five  eggs,  and  she  brought  off  three, 
which  were  given  to  the  "Little  Mother"  to 
brood.  One  got  killed,  but  the  other  two  and 
the  "solitary  suvivor"  of  the  first  brood  safely 
reached  maturity.  The  "survivor"  being  a 
male  and  the  other  two  sisters,  they  were 
kept  together  and  demonstrated  that  a  trio  do 
as  well  as  pairs  when  in  captivity.  The  ten 
eggs  cost  $3,  the  enclosure  $3,  a  year's  feed 
probably  $2. 

The  next  summer  we  sold  fifteen  eggs  at 
25  cents  each,  and  raised  twelve  birds.     Two 
males  sold   for   stock   at   $3  each,  three  hens 
for  $2  each ;  two  pairs  were  exchanged  to  pre- 
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vent  in-breeding.  The  three  odd  ones  were 
sacrificed  to  Christmas  cheer,  but  even  with 
such  extravagance,  a  cash  balance  remained 
of  $7.75,  and  the  stock  for  the  next  season's 
output  was  trebled. 

Of  course  the  first  consideration  must  be 
a  bantam  hen  with  motherly  longings.  If 
your  farm  or  the  neighborhood  cannot  sup- 
ply her,  search  must  be  made  for  a  small 
mongrel  hen.  Arrange  the  nest  as  suggested 
for  guinea  eggs  to  prevent  loss  by  the  little 
fellows  getting  out  when  first  hatched  and 
being  chilled  to  death  or  lost.  Both  guinea 
and  pheasant  chicks  possess  such  adventu- 
rous spirits  that  the  moment  they  break  out 
of  the  shell  their  desire  seems  to  be  explora- 
tion of  the  world  at  large,  which  usually 
means  death  within  the  hour. 


BROOD    COOP    AND    RUN 

The  brood  coop  and  run  must  be  just  as 
carefully  constructed.     Allow  the  hen   to  re- 

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main  with  the  little  ones  just  as  long  as  she  does 
not  peck  or  fight  them.  A  gentle  biddy  we 
keep  in  the  brood  coop  until  the  babies  are 
about  six  weeks  old,  when  the  whole  family  is 
removed  to  the  large  enclosure  intended  for 
the  permanent  home;  and  it  is  seldom  that 
the  hen  is  removed  until  late  in  the  fall. 

There  is  a  general  idea  that  pheasants  are 
delicate  and  hard  to  rear,  originating,  doubt- 
less, from  the  fact  that  all  game  birds  possess 
the  dainty  pride  which  necessitates  hygienic 
surroundings  for  the  breeding  quarters.  Sub- 
jected to  the  slovenly  inattention  accorded 
to  the  hen  on  ordinary  farms,  the  pheas- 
ant pines  and  dies.  Constitutionally  they 
are  hardy,  healthy  birds,  exempt  from  most  of 
the  diseases  common  to  poultry.  Dry,  sandy 
soil,  sloping  slightly  to  the  south  to  insure 
natural  drainage,  and  well  shaded  by  vines 
or  low-growing  brush,  is  the  most  desirable 
site  for  their  captivity.  Failing  such  natural 
conditions,  select  the  most  favorable  situa- 
tion, comparatively  near  the  house.  Have 

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the  ground  ploughed  and,  if  it  is  heavy, 
clayey  soil,  remove  about  a  foot  in  depth, 
fill  in  to  ten  inches  with  coarse-cut  stone,  and 
top  with  fine  gravel  at  least  six  inches  above 
the  surface  level;  this  will  insure  freedom 
from  damp  and  at  the  same  time  provide  a 
porous  floor  which  every  rain  will  cleanse. 


HOW   TO   MAKE   ENCLOSURES 

The  dimensions  of  a  simple,  serviceable  en- 
closure are:  — 

Length,  twelve  feet;  width,  six;  height, 
four.  Eight  posts  are  required,  six  feet  long 
and  six  to  eight  inches  in  circumference; 
thirty-six  feet  of  twelve-inch  timber  for  the 
foot-board;  thirty-eight  feet  of  four  by  two 
for  the  top  rail ;  two  shingle  slats ;  half  a  roll 
of  one-inch  wire  netting  four  feet  wide ;  a  pair 
of  hinges,  and  a  catch  for  the  door. 

The  cost  of  all  this  can  be  approximated 
only,  materials  vary  so  much  in  price;  but 
it  certainly  would  not  exceed  $6,  even 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

allowing  75  cents  for  a  workman  to  dig 
the  post  holes.  Make  them  two  feet  deep. 
Erect  a  post  at  each  of  the  four  corners  ;  one 
midway  on  each  side;  two,  two  and  a  half 
feet  apart,  at  the  centre  of  one  end 
for  gate  posts.  Nail  on  the  foot-board  all 
around ;  do  the  same  with  the  top  rail,  which 
must  have  two  strips  across  from  side  to  side 
four  feet  apart.  Now  cover  this  entire  scaf- 
folding with  netting,  except,  of  course,  the 
space  for  the  gate,  which  is  to  be  made 
from  the  shingle  slats  covered  with  wire 
netting. 

If  artificial  drainage  has  had  to  be  resorted 
to,  it  will  be  an  advantage  to  erect  posts  and 
place  foot-boards  before  filling  in  the  stone 
and  gravel.  No  house  is  required,  but  a 
shelter  of  some  sort  should  be  provided  with 
a  perch  under  it,  so  that  the  birds  are  pro- 
tected from  storms  when  roosting. 

Gourds  grow  so  quickly  that  if  the  seed  is 
planted  around  the  outside  of  the  enclosure, 
the  vines  will  soon  provide  sufficient  shade. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

A  few  cedar  boughs  in  one  corner  will  provide 
the  shelter  in  which  these  shy,  secretive  birds 
love  to  hide  at  the  approach  of  any  strange 
presence. 

If  you  desire  to  be  extravagant,  erect  a 
round,  rustic  enclosure  on  the  front  lawn  and 
invest  in  a  pair  of  mature  golden  pheasants 
to  occupy  it;  for  of  all  the  varieties  this  is 
the  most  amusing  and  attractive,  because  of 
the  activity  of  the  birds  and  their  apparent 
desire  to  show  off  their  beauty.  The  male 
has  an  orange  and  black  throat,  a  golden 
back,  steel-blue  wing  coverts,  green  shoul- 
ders, and  a  vivid  red  breast,  so  that  he  has 
every  excuse  for  his  vanity. 

For  mere  ornament,  the  males  of  three  or 
four  fancy  species  can  all  be  kept  in  one  en- 
closure and  will  live  peacefully;  but  never 
attempt  to  keep  two  or  more  pairs  together, 
for  Mr.  Pheasant  has  such  a  jealous,  pugna- 
cious nature,  that  a  battle  to  the  death  is 
sure  to  ensue. 


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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

FEED    FOR   YOUNG    PHEASANTS 

Give  the  usual  nothing  for  twenty-four 
hours;  then  corn  meal,  stale  bread  crumbled 
(half  a  cupful),  one  tablespoonful  of  silver 
sand,  one  tablespoonful  of  crushed  mustard 
seed,  teaspoonful  of  maw  seed  (poppy  seed), 
one  hard-boiled  egg  chopped  fine.  Mix  all 
together  and  feed  every  two  hours  between 
6  A.M.  and  4  P.M.  for  three  days;  after 
which  milk  curds,  crushed  wheat,  pinhead 
oatmeal,  chopped  lettuce,  green  onions,  and 
broiled  liver  can  be  added  to  the  bill  of  fare. 

A  change  of  diet  sharpens  appetite,  so 
use  discretion  in  alternating  the  latter  dain- 
ties. Meat,  vegetables,  or  fruit  are  all  neces- 
sities to  these  birds,  and  when  possible  should 
be  supplied  in  the  more  natural  form  of  grubs, 
insects,  and  berries.  Ants'  eggs  are  among 
their  favorite  foods,  and  are  easily  obtained 
by  digging  into  the  middle  of  an  ant-hill. 
Meal  grubs  can  also  be  created  by  slightly 
moistening  meal,  then  keeping  it  in  a  mod- 

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erately  warm  place;  but  do  not,  I  implore 
you,  try  to  breed  meat  maggots.  An  old 
breeder  assured  me  that  young  pheasants 
would  not  thrive  without  them  and,  in  my 
ignorant  enthusiasm,  I  sent  for  a  sheep's 
head  and  hung  it  up  in  the  empty  corn  crib 
with  a  pan  underneath,  and  for  days  the  pure 
country  air,  which  was  to  give  us  all  new  life 
and  strength,  became  tainted  with  a  charnel- 
like  smell.  On  the  fourth  day  I  screwed  up 
my  courage  to  the  sticking  point  and,  armed 
with  a  long  spoon,  valiantly  mounted  the 
steps  of  the  crib  and  walked  into  — 

There  were  horrid,  squirmy  things  in  the 
pan.  I  tried  to  scoop  some  of  the  dreadful 
crawlers,  though  my  internals  objected  most 
vigorously.  It  is  impossible  to  say  how  it 
happened,  but  somehow  the  spoon  tipped  and 
the  contents  fell  on  my  dress. 

Any  one  hearing  the  wild  shriek  that  fol- 
lowed and  seeing  my  mad  rush  to  the  house 
would  have  imagined  that  all  the  fiends  from 
Hades  were  after  me.  Really,  it  was  the 

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nearest  approach  to  downright  hysteria  I 
was  ever  silly  enough  to  indulge  in.  Do  not 
try  to  see  how  brave  you  can  be.  It  is  not 
worth  it.  Pheasants  thrive  quite  well  with- 
out charnel-house  diet. 

After  the  eighth  week,  cracked  corn,  wheat, 
barley,  Kafir-corn,  rape,  —  in  fact,  all  the  small 
grains,  —  are  staple  food  for  the  rest  of  their 
lives,  and  can  be  left  always  before  them  in 
self-feeding  boxes,  for  they  are  not  gluttons 
and  never  eat  too  much. 

Once  a  day  a  crumbly  mash  containing 
meat  and  green  stuff  of  some  sort  should  be 
fed  if  the  birds  are  to  be  kept  in  good  breed- 
ing condition. 

KILLING   AND   DRESSING   POULTRY 

Even  for  home  consumption  it  is  desirable 
to  fatten,  kill,  and  dress  poultry  knowledge- 
ably.  It  makes  such  a  difference  to  nutri- 
ment and  flavor. 

Fattening,  as  understood  in  France  and 
some  parts  of  England,  is  a  semi-artificial 

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process.  Birds  —  capons  and  turkeys  princi- 
pally—  are  confined  in  small  individual  coops 
and  fed  heavily  on  moderately  soft  mash  for 
two  weeks,  by  which  time  the  appetite  com- 
mences to  fail  and  artificial  stuffing  is  re- 
sorted to.  A  funnel-like  appliance  is  inserted 
in  the  bird's  mouth  and  pushed  down  into 
its  throat ;  then  a  liquid  food  is  poured  in  the 
crop  until  it  is  filled.  The  very  large  com- 
mercial fattening  establishments  use  an  ap- 
paratus which  looks  something  like  a  street 
knife-grinder's  machine,  and  is  worked  in 
the  same  way  by  the  attendant's  foot,  only 
instead  of  turning  the  wheel  the  treadle 
action  controls  a  pump  which  forces  the 
feed  out  of  a  tank  down  a  tube  into  the  bird's 
crop.  Both  excellent  methods,  possibly,  but 
after  seeing  them  in  operation,  I  confessed  to 
preferring  a  little  more  humane  and  whole- 
somely old-fashioned  way  of  providing  deli- 
cacies for  our  table. 

We  have  coops  six  feet  long  by  two  and  a 
half  wide,  with  yards  six  by  ten,  into  which 

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from  five  to  ten  birds  are  placed  three  weeks 
before  killing.  Fowls  of  a  year  old  when 
properly  prepared  make  good  roasters ;  taken 
from  the  general  yard,  they  are  tough  and  fit 
only  for  soup.  Cockerels  of  ten  or  twelve 
weeks  old  will,  by  special  fattening  and  inac- 
tivity, become  plump  very  quickly.  The  roost 
in  a  coop  is  only  a  foot  from  the  floor;  yard 
and  floor  of  coop  are  of  firmly  trampled  earth, 
with  no  loose  gravel,  sand,  or  scratching  ma- 
terial of  any  description,  the  object  being  to 
keep  the  birds  as  placid  as  possible. 

Morning,  noon,  and  night  mash  is  fed,  as  it 
is  more  easily  digested  and  assimilated  than 
whole  corn.  The  first  ten  days  the  mash 
consists  of  one  quart  of  ground  feed,  one- 
third  of  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  one  pint  of 
boiled  and  mashed  carrots,  potatoes,  or  beets, 
mixed  and  moistened  with  skim  milk.  Last 
ten  days,  one  quart  of  corn  meal,  one  dessert- 
spoonful of  powdered  charcoal,  one  pound 
of  potatoes,  and  two  onions,  boiled  and 
mashed.  Mix  all  together  and  make  quite 

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soft  with  skim  milk  in  which  beef  suet  has 
been  boiled.  Suet  is  only  about  6  cents  a 
pound.  Half  a  pound  chopped  fine  is  suffi- 
cient for  two  quarts  of  milk.  Simmer  for 
fifteen  minutes.  Feed  in  V-shaped  troughs 
as  much  as  the  birds  will  eat  in  fifteen  min- 
utes. It  must  not  be  allowed  to  stand  be- 
fore them  continually,  or  they  will  become 
satiated.  It  was  an  old  Frenchman  who 
gave  me  this  hint  about  suet,  which  is  excel- 
lent, making  the  flesh  deliciously  tender  and 
juicy. 

The  effect  of  food  on  flavor  has  been  set 
forth  as  most  important  in  the  New  York 
Market  Journal.  They  call  poultrymen's  at- 
tention to  the  fact  that  the  exquisite  flavor  of 
the  canvasback  duck  is  due  to  the  wild  celery 
it  feeds  upon.  The  delicious  Congo  chick- 
ens owe  their  superior  excellence  to  the  pine- 
apples they  eat.  The  grouse  meat  of  the  far 
Western  plains  is  aromatic  with  the  wild  sage. 

The  feeding  for  mere  weight  or  size  will,  in 
the  near  future,  give  place  to  the  higher  art 

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of  gratifying  the  palate.  The  capon  now 
ranks  high  above  ordinary  poultry  without 
any  special  methods  of  feeding.  How  much 
greater  must  its  superiority  be  when  fed  for 
flavor  as  well  as  for  tenderness  and  size ! 
Now  and  then  some  enthusiastic  thorough- 
bred raiser  will  descant  on  the  merits  of  his 
favorite  breed,  — "  their  tender,  juicy  flesh 
and  rich,  highly  flavored  eggs,  not  to  be  com- 
pared with  the  'dunghills'  long  ago  dis- 
carded,"—  forgetting  that  the  "dunghills" 
were  truly  named,  and  that  from  hard  scratch- 
ing in  the  barnyard  for  a  living  resulted  the 
small,  tough  bodies  and  ill-flavored  eggs 
complained  of.  His  thoroughbreds  have  a 
yard  to  themselves,  are  fed  on  the  choicest 
grains  and  grasses,  and  have  only  pure 
water  to  drink.  Feeding  for  flavor  must 
sooner  or  later  become  a  generally  acknowl- 
edged part  of  poultry  culture. 

After  the  fattening  has  been  successfully 
accomplished,  correct  killing  and  dressing 
must  follow  to  insure  excellence.  Twenty- 

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four  hours  before  killing  birds  are  removed 
to  individual  coops  a  foot  and  a  half  square, 
with  wire  netting  sides,  floor  of  slats  half 
an  inch  apart,  and  legs  two  feet  high.  The 
open  flooring  and  elevated  position  allow  the 
droppings  to  fall  through  and  out  of  the 
bird's  reach.  For  twelve  hours  they  have 
milk  before  them 
all  the  time,  but 
no  food.  Last 
twelve  hours 
nothing  but  water 
to  insure  the  crop 
being  empty. 

The  most  hu- 
mane and  best 
way  of  slaughter- 
ing the  poor  things  is  to  have  a  string  with  a 
noose  at  one  end  suspended  from  a  beam  in 
some  outhouse.  Slip  the  bird's  feet  through 
the  noose.  Instruct  the  operator  to  stand  with 
his  back  to  the  bird ;  take  the  body  under  his 

left  arm,  breast  uppermost,  the  head  in  his 

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left  hand;  open  the  beak  by  pressing  at  the 
sides  between  thumb  and  finger,  and  with  a 
French  killing  knife  stab  up  into  the  extreme 
back  of  the  roof  of  the  mouth.  Give  a  quick 
turn  to  the  left  and  withdraw  the  knife. 
Leave  the  bird  suspended  for  a  few  minutes 
before  taking  the  feet  from  the  noose. 

Plucking  must  be  done  at  once.  Commence 
with  the  long  wing  and  tail  feathers;  then 
from  the  shanks,  down  the  inside  of  the 
thigh,  and  over  the  breast  to  the  neck.  Take 
only  a  few  feathers  at  a  time ;  grasp  as  closely 
to  the  skin  as  possible,  and  pull  quickly  tow- 
ards the  head.  At  first  it  may  be  difficult 
to  remove  the  feathers  without  tearing  the 
skin,  but  a  little  assurance  and  some  practice 
will  render  it  quite  easy.  After  the  feathers, 
all  pin-feathers  or  quills  have  to  be  extracted. 
Then  hang  the  bird  up  to  become  quite  cold 
before  drawing;  but  don't  delay  more  than 
two  hours. 

Cut  off  the  head  with  a  sharp  knife,  leaving 
about  three  inches  of  the  neck,  slit  the  skin  at 

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the  back  lengthwise,  push  back,  and  cut  out 
the  neck-bone  close  to  the  body.  With  the 
point  of  the  knife  sever  the  membrane  which 
holds  the  windpipe  to  the  breast,  cut  off  the 
shanks,  make  a  straight  cut  from  the  end  of 
the  breast-bone,  being  careful  to  sever  the 
skinny  flesh  only.  Continue  to  cut  in  a 
circle  round  the  vent,  and  the  bird  can  be 
drawn  without  any  unseemly  exposure  or 
soiling  of  the  flesh. 

Place  a  peeled  onion  or  piece  of  charcoal 
in  the  body,  and  hang  up  in  a  cold  cellar 
for  twenty-four  hours.  Following  the  above 
method  of  drawing  leaves  the  bird  unmarred; 
and  the  neck  skin  being  folded  under  the 
back  after  the  stuffing  has  been  put  in  holds 
it  firmly  in  place  for  roasting  and  carving. 
The  few  stitches  necessary  from  the  breast- 
bone down  do  not  show  when  the  bird  is 
trussed.  The  gizzard  and  liver  must  be  care- 
fully severed  from  the  remaining  parts  to 
avoid  breaking  the  gall-bag,  which  is  a 
small  sac  lying  between  the  two  parts  of 

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the  liver.  Hold  the  gizzard  with  the  nar- 
row, smooth  line  that  runs  on  one  side  up- 
permost. Lay  the  edge  of  the  knife  on  the 
line  and  make  a  small,  shallow  cut,  which 
will  reveal  a  gray-colored  inner  bag  that  is 
to  be  removed  intact;  hence  the  necessity 
for  the  cut  being  shallow. 

It  has  not  yet  become  the  general  market 
custom  in  this  country  to  draw  and  truss 
birds  at  once;  but  private  customers  will 
quickly  appreciate  the  improvement  in  flavor 
that  immediate  attention  to  cleanliness  makes, 
and  before  long  I  firmly  believe  that  the 
present  custom  of  keeping  and  shipping  un- 
drawn birds  will  be  condemned  by  the  health 
authorities.  When  birds  are  going  to  cus- 
tomers, instead  of  being  sent  in  a  sprawling 
condition,  they  are  trussed  as  for  roasting, 
leaving  a  piece  of  charcoal  inside  to  insure 
perfect  sweetness. 

Ducks  are  treated  in  the  same  way,  ex- 
cept that  we  give  them  watercress  and  green 
celery  during  the  fattening  process.  The 

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former  we  have  a  quantity  of,  both  wild 
and  under  cultivation;  and  the  latter  is 
sown  broadcast,  just  to  cut  green  for  this 
purpose. 

Ducks'  feathers  are  worth  18  cents  a 
pound;  White  Wyandottes',  from  14  to  16 
cents  a  pound.  In  both  cases  only  the  soft 
body  feathers  are  meant.  If  you  desire  to 
keep  them  for  home  use,  make  cheese-cloth 
bags  about  a  foot  and  a  half  square;  half 
fill  with  geese,  duck,  or  chicken  feathers. 
Have  ready  a  tub  of  warm  suds;  to  every 
four  quarts  add  one  teacupful  of  the  follow- 
ing mixture:  Two  ounces  of  ammonia,  a 
teaspoonful  of  saltpetre,  and  a  quart  of  rain 
water  thoroughly  amalgamated.  Wash  the 
bag  of  feathers  by  sluicing  up  and  down  in 
the  tub  for  about  half  an  hour.  Squeeze 
the  water  out  as  nearly  as  possible  without 
wringing;  then  hang  in  the  full  sun,  shaking 
the  bag  and  reversing  the  ends  by  which  it 
hangs  until  the  contents  are  quite  dry.  It 
may  take  two  or  three  days.  If  so,  take 

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them  into  the  house  as  soon  as  the  sun  goes 
down,  repeat  the  washing  and  hang  during 
midsun  hours  for  perhaps  a  week,  by  which 
time  the  feathers  will  be  fit  for  pillows. 


VEGETABLE    GARDEN 

Succession  crops  commence  with  this 
month.  The  turning  of  the  soil  and  sub- 
sequent cultivation  of  all  planted  crops  can 
be  accomplished  more  thoroughly  and  in 
much  less  time  if  a  hand  plough  is  used. 
They  are  made  with  adjustable  handles  and 
a  full  complement  of  attachments  for  culti- 
vating, hoeing,  raking,  planting,  and  seed- 
ing. The  entire  outfit  will  cost  about  $12, 
but  can  be  reduced  by  dispensing  with 
individual  attachments  until  the  handle, 
wheels,  and  plough  only  remain,  which  cost 
in  the  neighborhood  of  $3.  We  dispensed 
with  the  "seeder,"  which  is  the  most  ex- 
pensive attachment.  The  other  implements 
complete  cost  ,us  $9,  and  for  five  years  have 

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been  in  constant  use  from  April  to  November. 
Really,  it  seems  one  of  the  indispensables 
for  a  home  garden  where  women  folks  and 
children  take  an  active  interest  in  the  work. 

Early  peas,  lettuce,  and  radishes  will  all 
be  used  by  the  20th.  Clear  out  the  vines, 
scatter  fertilizer  on  the  surface,  and  run  the 
hand  plough  up 
and  down  the  row 
two  or  three  times. 
Rake,  mark  off 
with  line  as  be- 
fore, and  use  for 
the  second  sow- 
ing of  carrots  in  place  of  peas,  peas  where 
the  lettuce  was,  beans  taking  the  place  of 
radishes. 

Stake  the  tomatoes  and  prune  down  the 
branches  slightly.  Cucumbers,  melons,  and 
squash  planted  last  month  will  need  pro- 
tection from  insects.  Get  some  old  barrel 
hoops ;  cut  one  in  halves  and  tack  on  a  whole 
hoop,  crossing  the  two  halves  in  the  centre. 
R  241 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Stretch  mosquito  netting  all  over  the  arched 
foundation,  stitching  the  edge  securely  to 
the  round  hoop,  and  you  will  have  a  pro- 
tector as  effectual  as  any  of  the  expensive 
wire  contrivances  sold  for  the  purpose. 

Prevention  being  better  than  cure,  it  is 
advisable  to  scatter  powdered  sulphur  lightly 
on  grape-vines  to  avoid  mildew.  Thinning 
out  the  fruit  in  June  will  insure  better-sized 
and  better-shaped  branches.  Leave  only 
two  to  a  branch,  and  with  a  pair  of  sharp- 
pointed  scissors  cut  out  the  small  grapes 
from  each  bunch.  All  fruits  are  improved 
by  moderate  thinning. 

This  is  the  best  time  of  the  year  to  go 
over  the  strawberry  beds,  and  "start"  as 
many  plants  as  you  wish  for  a  new  bed. 
An  old  English  method  which  we  have  em- 
ployed to  advantage  is  to  set  the  baby 
plants,  which  form  at  the  end  of  the  run- 
ners, in  the  earth  between  the  rows  with- 
out severing  them  from  the  parent  plants, 
which  sustain  them  until  they  have  devel- 

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oped  strong  roots  of  their  own,  a  process 
which  takes  about  three  or  four  weeks,  dur- 
ing which  time  the  ground  for  the  new  beds 
should  be  well  manured  and  dug  deeply. 


FLOWER   GARDEN 

The  spring  bulbs,  such  as  narcissus,  tulips, 
crocuses,  lilies-of-the-valley,  usually  found 
in  most  old  farm  gardens,  often  suffer 
death  from  the  inexperienced  city  tenant 
cutting  down  the  leaves  when  the  blossoms 
fade,  instead  of  allowing  them  to  turn  quite 
yellow  before  removing;  for  whether  the 
strength  of  the  dying  leaves  goes  back  into 
the  roots  or  not  I  don't  know,  but  most 
surely  the  bulbs  die  if  the  foliage  is  cut  down 
whilst  green.  Dahlias  and  cannas  of  all  sorts 
must  go  in  at  once.  Spare  time  to  water 
the  young  plants  every  evening  if  the  weather 
is  dry,  for  they  need  lots  of  moisture  to 
produce  flowers. 


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CHAPTER    XI 

JULY 

of  high  degree,  like  toy  dogs,  are 
always  salable.  Being  charming  pets, 
their  addition  to  the  home  savors  more  of 
pleasure  than  of  a  business  responsibility. 
Our  original  Maltese  cats  had  beautiful 
silvery  coats  and  well-shaped  heads,  with 
large  amber  eyes  accentuated  by  the  black 
rims  which  encircled  them.  For  this  reason, 
their  kittens  found  a  ready  market  at  $1 
each.  After  the  first  sale,  all  such  money 
was  saved  until  it  amounted  to  $10,  when 
a  Persian  kitten  of  excellent  family,  but  only 
seven  weeks  old,  was  for  sale. 

I  bought  it  for  $12,  a  year  later  paid  $15 
for  her  to  visit  a  cattery  which  owned  a 
celebrated  king,  and  a  few  months  later 
realized  $45  from  the  sale  of  three  kittens. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

The  fourth  was  kept,  because  it  seemed  wise 
to  establish  a  cattery.  Another  $5  from  the 
sale  of  more  Maltese  kittens  was  added  to 
the  $45  and  a  king  bought.  Thus  our  plebe- 
ian mouse-catchers  bought  and  maintained 
the  aristocratic  felines,  until  they  were  fairly 
established  as  money-makers. 

If  you  have  taken  the  hint  given  in  the 
first  instalment  of  this  series  about  pretty 
Maltese  cats  in  the  barn  and  feed  house, 
you  will  soon  have  a  cat  fund  to  speculate 
with.  Commencing  as  I  did,  with  a  kitten, 
necessitates  a  loss  of  time;  and  frequently 
a  fairly  good  Persian  mother  puss  can  be 
bought  for  $50,  that  will  present  you,  inside 
of  four  weeks,  with  kits  that  will  sell  in 
about  six  months  for  $10  or  $15  each. 

The  only  objection  to  this  latter  plan  is 
that  cats  are  faithful  creatures,  and  chang- 
ing home  and  owners  may  cause  fretting 
which  will  weaken  both  mother  and  kittens. 
So  perhaps  the  medium  course  of  purchasing 
a  young  cat  would  be  the  safest  to  advocate, 

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for  she  would  become  reconciled  to  the  change 
of  home  before  the  necessity  of  sending  her 
for  service  arises. 

A   HOME-MADE   CATTERY 

If  you  are  accustomed  to  cats  and  will 
exercise  vigilant  care,  a  solitary  animal  can 
be  allowed  the  run  of  the  house;  but  when 
multiplication  commences,  a  cattery  is  advis- 
able. For  a  long  time  mine  was  a  room 
which  had  a  window  opening  on  the  slant- 
ing roof  of  a  small  extension.  From  the 
top  of  the  window  to  the  ground  and  five 
feet  beyond  the  extension  wall,  an  inclosure 
of  wire  netting  was  made,  on  the  order  of  a 
flying  yard  for  pigeons.  From  the  extension 
roof  to  the  ground,  a  wide  slab  of  wood 
with  the  bark  left  on  was  placed,  making  a 
runway  which  afforded  the  inmates  much 
amusement  and  exercise.  An  old  cherry 
tree  near  by  shaded  one  side  of  the  roof  and 
yard;  so  even  on  hot  days  there  was  a  cool 
spot  for  afternoon  siestas. 

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The  furnishings  of  the  room  consisted  of 
a  square  of  rag  carpet  and  boxes  about  two 
feet  square  without  lids,  in  which  a  pad, 
such  as  is  used  for  babies'  cribs,  was  placed ; 
these  made  warm,  draught-proof  beds.  In 
the  summer  the  boxes,  turned  upside  down 
and  covered  with  double  strips  of  Turkish 
towelling,  provided  individual,  airy  sleeping 
places. 

Frbm  the  centre  of  the  ceiling  a  cloth- 
bound  ball  was  suspended  by  a  long  string. 
In  one  corner  a  long-handled  lash  whip  was 
fastened.  On  the  wall  was  a  cage  of  birds; 
near  the  window  a  deck  chair.  In  two 
corners  were  zinc-lined  boxes,  a  foot  and  a 
half  square,  six  inches  deep,  and  half  filled 
with  ashes,  on  a  strip  of  oil-cloth.  In  another 
corner  was  a  butter  crock  for  water  and  a 
couple  of  plates  for  food.  The  ashes  were 
changed  every  day  and  the  cloths  or  pads  taken 
out,  shaken,  or  hung  on  a  line,  weather  per- 
mitting, to  air. 


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DIET    FOR    CATS 

Breakfast  consisted  of  one  strip  of  fat 
bacon  about  an  inch  square  for  each  cat, 
and  a  pint  of  skim  milk  for  three.  Dinner: 
lean  meat  (generally  gravy  beef,  or  liver  which 
had  been  stewed  in  the  oven)  mixed  with 
whatever  vegetables  we  had  had  on  our  own 
table.  Supper:  milk  as  in  the  morning. 
Butcher  days  -  -  Wednesdays  and  Saturdays 
—  they  had  a  fresh  bone  with  about  an  ounce 
of  meat  on  it.  I  know  most  breeders  will 
be  horrified  at  this,  as  they  generally  advo- 
cate chopping  the  meat  fine.  This  seems 
all  wrong  to  me.  Cats  have  splendid  teeth, 
which  were  certainly  intended  for  use.  Leav- 
ing the  meat  on  the  bone  insures  proper 
mastication,  which  stimulates  the  flow  of 
saliva,  the  greatest  aid  to  digestion. 

The  strip  of  bacon  is  prompted  by  the 
fact  that  all  the  kitchen  cats  we  ever  had 
have  always  begged  a  piece  when  it  is  cut 
for  breakfast;  and  after  eating  it  they  will 

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go  straight  to  the  milk,  drinking  it  with  the 
greatest  relish;  then  they  wash  themselves 
industriously.  Moreover,  I  think  the  salt 
and  fat  act  as  a  medicine,  for  our  cats  are 
never  afflicted  with  worms  —  one  of  the  worst 
troubles  breeders  of  high  pedigreed  cats  have 
to  contend  with. 

Diet  is  varied  as  often  as  possible,  fish  or 
chicken  taking  the  place  of  other  meat,  with 
rice  pudding,  bread  and  milk,  a  piece  of 
sponge  cake  or  toast  at  supper-time.  A 
bunch  of  catnip,  green  or  dried,  is  given  once 
a  week. 

The  cage  of  birds  may  seem  a  strange 
adornment  for  a  cattery,  but  there  is  a  reason 
for  it.  Cats  bred  to  sell  as  pets  are  much 
more  attractive  to  the  average  purchaser  if 
accustomed  to  caged  birds  and  trained  not 
to  molest  them. 

The  deck  chair  was  for  my  own  comfort. 
I  love  cats,  and  took  my  hours  of  rest  and 
amusement  in  the  room.  Another  of  my 
fads  was  to  have  all  our  pussies  friendly  with 

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the  dogs.  These  little  items  of  education 
are  as  easily  taught  as  cleanliness,  and  save 
kitty  all  sorts  of  misery  when  she  goes  to  a 
strange  home. 

HOW  TO  KEEP  TH::M  DAINTY 

The  coats  of  your  cats  should  be  kept  in 
the  best  possible  order.  Nothing  seems  to 
insure  this  better  than  daily  brushing,  which 
prevents  tangling  and  breaking.  If  they  are 
healthy  and  the  beds  kept  clean,  they  rarely 
look  dirty.  If  by  any  chance  they  do  ac- 
quire smudges,  rub  bran  into  the  fur  and 
brush  it  out;  the  soil  soon  disappears. 

Fleas  are  pests  to  be  dreaded  for  all  furry 
pets  in  warm  weather;  so  take  time  by  the 
forelock,  and  by  rigid  care  in  the  cattery 
check  their  approach.  Once  established,  it 
is  impossible  to  exterminate  them  without 
injury  to  the  cats.  The  floor  of  the  room 
should  be  washed  three  times  a  week  with 
water  to  which  carbolic  acid  has  been  added. 
Vermin  powders  I  don't  like,  because  they 

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invariably  nauseate  the  poor  animal,  who, 
objecting  to  the  foreign  substance  in  her 
coat,  tries  to  remove  it  by  licking.  A  weak 
solution  of  spirits  of  camphor  can  be  dabbed 
on  the  cat's  skin  if  the  hair  is  divided  in 
small  patches,  as  one  would  apply  a  tonic 
to  the  scalp,  and  will  render  it  unpalatable 
to  Mr.  Flea. 

KITS     AND     THEIR     CARE 

About  mating:  A  young  queen  is  apt  to 
become  restless  and  unusually  playful  when 
five  or  six  months  old;  but  as  she  is  entirely 
too  young  to  go  visiting,  keep  her  under 
close  guard  until  the  unaccustomed  anxiety 
to  go  out  passes.  It  will  be  advisable  to 
write  to  two  or  three  catteries,  giving  your 
cat's  pedigree  and  personal  description,  so 
that  they  can  judge  if  they  have  a  king  to 
whom  it  would  be  desirable  to  send  her. 
Then  you  will  be  prepared  with  all  necessary 
information,  and  can  take  or  ship  your 
queen  when  the  journey  can  no  longer  be 

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postponed.  If  the  young  cat  can  be  held 
back  until  after  a  year  old,  it  allows  full 
time  for  development;  but  after  nine  months 
of  age  it  often  does  a  healthy,  strong  queen 
more  harm  to  fret  and  fidget  than  to  assume 
the  strain  of  maternity.  Therefore,  individ- 
ual cases  must  determine  the  most  desirable 
age. 

The  usual  litter  —  four  kittens  —  are  too 
many  for  any  puss  mother  to  nourish  well; 
so,  as  Persians  are  too  valuable  to  be  con- 
signed to  a  watery  grave,  a  foster-mother 
should  be  arranged  for.  This  is  an  easy 
matter  if  you  have  plenty  of  cats  about  the 
farm  buildings.  We  bought  a  tiger  kitten 
as  a  playfellow  for  our  first  Persian.  They  in- 
variably have  kittens  about  the  same  time, 
and  Tabitha  adopts  the  Persians  as  a 
matter  of  course,  Kliner  relinquishing  the 
care  of  her  babies  with  all  the  indifference 
of  a  fashionable  beauty,  until  they  become 
interestingly  pretty.  Then  my  lady  secsms 
to  take  a  mother's  pride  in  them. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Some  cats  become  very  excitable  and  rest- 
less as  the  time  approaches  for  their  babies 
to  arrive.  Under  such  conditions,  use  every 
means  to  soothe  and  quiet  the  patient, 
by  keeping  other  cats  away  and  induc- 
ing her  to  drink  a  little  hot  milk.  If 
there  is  a  dark  cupboard  in  the  room,  it 
is  likely  to  attract  at  such  times  and  makes 
the  best  of  bedrooms.  If  there  is  not  such 
a  fixture  in  the  room,  a  large  box  with  cur- 
tains will  answer  the  purpose.  Of  course, 
kings  should  not  be  permitted  access  to  the 
room  at  such  times.  Mother  cats  will  need 
restricting  to  their  special  quarters  from 
about  the  second  week  of  motherhood  until 
the  fifth,  or  possibly  the  sixth. 

Health  and  strength  are  endangered  if 
more  than  two  families  are  permitted  in 
the  year.  I  prefer  kittens  to  arrive  in  early 
spring  and  fall,  for  then  they  have  an  oppor- 
tunity to  develop  before  the  severe  heat  or 
cold  prevents  outdoor  exercise. 

Cats  love  human  companionship,  and  if 
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you  have  children  who  are  fond  of  animals, 
it  is  a  good  plan  to  allow  the  cattery  to  be 
used  occasionally  as  a  play-room.  Of  course 
this  suggestion  does  not  apply  to  little  ones 
under  five  years  of  age,  who  would  pull 
and  tease  the  cats.  Some  of  the  best  kit- 
tens I  ever  saw  were  the  constant  play- 
fellows of  two  little  girls,  aged  respectively 
eight  and  ten,  who  dressed  them  up  and 
made  doll-babies  of  them.  The  kitty-cats 
seemed  to  enjoy  it  as  much  as  the  children, 
who  fed,  cleaned,  and  took  full  care  of  them. 
The  original  mother  puss  had  been  a  pres- 
ent to  the  children,  and  money  from  sales 
was  banked  for  them;  and,  I  assure  you,  at 
the  end  of  five  years  it  had  developed  into  a 
very  nice  little  nest-egg. 

THE    POULTRY    YARD 

Insects  are  the  most  disagreeable  feature 
of  poultry  keeping,  but  must  be  discussed, 
as  it  needs  the  greatest  vigilance  just  now 

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to  prevent  their  developing  uncontrollably 
during  the  coming  winter,  when  the  birds 
may  have  to  be  imprisoned  for  days  at  a 
time  during  heavy  snows.  Few  amateur 
poultry  raisers  know  that  there  are  several 
distinct  varieties  of  vermin  which  seem  spe- 
cially created  to  torture  fowls  into  an  un- 
profitable state  of  debility. 

The  man  who  examines  his  fowls  and, 
finding  them  free  from  vermin,  congratu- 
lates himself,  little  guesses  that  after  dark 
an  army  of  blood-sucking,  fiendish  mites 
swarm  from  every  crack  and  crevice  of  old 
or  neglected  houses  to  steal  the  vitality  of 
his  fowls. 

Theobald  says  there  are  eighteen  varieties 
of  mites.  Dr.  Woods  (one  of  the  best  au- 
thorities) assures  us  only  five  are  common — 
something  to  be  thankful  for.  The  bird 
tick,  Dermanyssus  Avium,  an  imposing  name 
for  something  not  larger  than  a  grain  of 
sand,  usually  infests  pigeon  lofts;  but  as 
it  is  carried  by  all  wild  birds,  the  nests  of 

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martins  and  swallows  often  introduce  it  into 
the  barn,  where  it  is  a  great  source  of  annoy- 
ance to  cattle  and  horses.  When  empty, 
it  is  almost  colorless;  but  having  sucked 
blood,  it  changes  to  bright  red,  then  to  almost 
brown.  So  close  to  this  comes  the  gray  or 
red  mite,  or  poultry  tick,  that  they  are  almost 
identical,  the  only  difference  being  that  the 
poultry  tick  is  slightly  larger,  and  usually 
much  more  plentiful.  Coops  that  have  been 
used  year  after  year  for  brooding  frequently 
harbor  such  quantities  that  baby  chicks  are 
tortured  to  death  by  them.  They  are  pale 
grayish  in  color,  with  darker  patches  showing 
through  the  skin.  When  filled,  they  vary 
from  dark  red  to  almost  black. 

The  necessity  for  fighting  these  minute 
pests  will  be  apparent  when  it  is  known  that 
Dr.  Woods  tried  the  experiment  of  keeping 
a  dozen  of  the  latter  in  a  box,  and  that  in 
two  weeks  they  had  increased  to  hundreds. 

Another  general  mistake  which  causes  end- 
less trouble  is  the  idea  that  a  house  which 

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has  not  been  in  use  through  a  winter  is  freed 
from  vermin.  It  is  an  authenticated  fact 
that  two  years'  starvation  has  as  little  effect 
on  these  horrid  little  wretches  as  the  most 
severe  frost.  They  just  sleep  through  un- 
comfortable times,  and  awake  refreshed  and 
eager  for  prey. 

Another  unsuspected  menace  to  poultry 
is  the  harvest  mite,  or  jigger.  These  insects 
normally  feed  on  plants,  abounding  in  black- 
berry patches  and  tall  weeds;  but,  swept 
off  by  passing  birds,  animals,  or  even  humans, 
some  species  immediately  bury  themselves 
in  the  skin  of  the  unfortunate  victim.  This 
is  fatal  to  the  insect,  but  raises  a  large 
blister  which  itches  intolerably,  often  caus- 
ing inflamed  patches  sometimes  mistaken  for 
chicken-pox.  I  once  had  a  small  dog  driven 
nearly  crazy  by  them.  Vinegar,  or  carbolic 
acid  and  water,  will  stop  the  itching  and 
remove  the  inflammation.  It  is  safest  to  have 
hens  avoid  any  infested  place,  or  if  you  live 
in  the  Southern  states,  where  they  are  most 
9  257 


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common,  keep  the  birds  yarded  during  July 
and  August,  when  they  are  most  prevalent. 

All  mites  and  ticks  being  much  alike, 
there  is  nothing  to  be  gained  by  further 
description.  To  guard  against  the  bedbug 
class  of  mite  —  the  first  two  species  —  fumi- 
gate the  houses  with  sulphur  or  tobacco  once 
every  two  weeks  when  possible.  All  through 
the  winter  apply  liquid  lice  killer, —  kerosene 
oil  and  carbolic  acid  mixed,  —  and  when 
weather  permits  in  summer  and  fall,  white- 
wash thoroughly. 

The  hen  chigoe,  or  American  hen  flea,  is 
small  and  not  unlike  other  fleas,  except  that 
it  does  not  hop,  but  walks  like  a  fly.  Dark, 
damp  quarters  serve  for  breeding-places  for 
their  eggs;  so  let  in  all  the  sunlight  pos- 
sible. If  there  are  any  parts  of  the  house 
inaccessible  to  sun,  scatter  air-slacked  lime 
on  them. 

These  are  fair  samples  of  the  often  unsus- 
pected enemies  which  must  be  fought  con- 
stantly. Don't  wait  to  know  that  such 

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creatures  are  lurking  in  the  coops  and  houses ; 
take  it  as  an  established  fact,  for  it  is  one  of 
those  cases  where  prevention  is  better  than 
cure.  The  common  louse,  which  is  insep- 
arable from  fowls,  is  far  less  harmful  than 
the  minute  night  wanderer,  for  the  simple 
reason  that  everybody  who  keeps  poultry 
wages  ceaseless  war  on  lice  with  insects, 
powders,  dust  baths,  etc. 


MOULTING 

The  season  at  which  hens  moult  has  such 
a  direct  influence  on  the  production  of  winter 
eggs  that  poultrymen  have  devoted  much 
study  to  the  subject.  Unless  a  bird  moults 
early  in  the  fall,  it  is  impossible  to  get  it  into 
condition  before  the  really  cold  weather,  for 
the  growth  of  new  feathers  requires  so  much 
oil  there  is  none  left  to  provide  animal  heat; 
so  the  food  which  should  be  converted  into 
eggs  has  to  furnish  the  warmth  necessary  to 
keep  the  bird  alive. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

After  many  experiments,  it  has  been  gen- 
erally conceded  that  by  withholding  food 
entirely  for  three  weeks,  and  then  feeding 
heavily  the  rations  suitable  for  the  formation 
of  feathers,  the  moulting  season  can  be  con- 
trolled. The  last  week  of  the  month  mature 
hens  are  turned  out  on  free  range  to  forage 
for  their  own  living.  About  the  end  of  the 
second  week  in  August  flocks  are  returned 
to  their  respective  yards,  roosters  being  kept 
in  a  separate  enclosure  until  the  breeding 
pens  are  made  up  in  January. 

Feed  a  morning  mash  of  equal  parts  — 
wheat  bran,  ground  feed,  and  oil  meal.  Noon : 
meat  scraps,  vegetables,  or  some  sort  of 
green.  Night:  wheat,  corn,  and  oats  mixed. 
The  first  few  days  give  only  half  meals,  as 
the  excessive  heavy  feed  might  cause  indi- 
gestion after  the  semi-starvation.  By  the 
10th  of  September  the  birds  should  be  in 
possession  of  full  new  coats  of  feathers  and 
robust  health.  Three  weeks  after  reyarding 
change  the  diet  to  regular  egg  rations,  cut- 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

ting  down  the  corn  and  oil  meal,  using 
clover  hay,  wheat,  and  green  bone  as  staple 
ingredients.  Old  hens,  not  to  be  kept 
through  the  winter,  should  be  disposed  of 
before  they  commence  to  moult,  for  then  it 
will  be  impossible  to  fatten  them. 

Keep  a  close  watch  on  cracked  corn  dur- 
ing July  and  August.  It  is  likely  to  become 
mouldy,  and  if  fed  in  that  condition,  it  will 
cause  sour  crop  and  bowel  trouble. 


VEGETABLE     GARDEN 

If  you  wish  to  increase  your  currant  or 
berry  patch  for  next  year,  there  is  no  neces- 
sity to  buy  new  plants  if  there  are  already 
a  few  good  varieties  on  the  farm.  Follow 
the  old  English  plan  as  recommended  for 
strawberries  last  month.  Bend  down  some 
of  the  outer  branches  until  a  part  can  be 
pegged  down  to  the  ground  without  breaking. 
Forked  branches  -from  green  trees  are  the 
best  stakes  to  use.  Cut  them  with  the  forked 

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parts  about  four  inches  long,  and  the  main 
stick  two  or  three.  Point  the  ends  of  the 
forks  and  peg  down  the  branch  at  an  easy 
angle  from  the  bush.  Draw  the  earth  up 
round  the  fork,  and  about  the  first  week  in 
August  the  branch  can  be  severed  from  the 
bush  close  to  the  peg,  and  an  individual 
plant  will  be  the  result. 

As  the  green  beans,  peas,  summer  cab- 
bage, lettuce,  etc.,  ripen  and  are  consumed, 
clean  out  the  vines,  cultivate,  enrich,  and 
replant  the  ground.  Winter  cabbage,  fall 
spinach,  celery,  leeks  and  Brussels-sprouts 
—  all  the  foregoing  are  gross  feeders  and 
demand  heavy  fertilizing  with  well-rotted 
stable  manure.  Leeks  stand  six  inches  apart 
in  the  rows;  Brussels-sprouts,  a  foot.  Cel- 
ery rows  should  be  four  feet  apart  to  allow 
space  for  the  deep  "earthing  up"  later  in 
the  season.  When  setting  out  celery  plants 
great  care  must  be  taken  to  spread  root- 
lets, but  only  the  root  must  be  buried,  for 
if  the  heart  of  the  plant  is  covered,  it  will 

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not  grow.  Pack  the  earth  firmly  round  the 
root  and  water  copiously  and  then  cover 
with  dry  earth. 

FLOWER     GARDEN 

July  is  almost  a  "standstill"  month,  yet 
a  little  work  will  assure  late  flowers.  Bal- 
sam and  nasturtium  seeds,  sown  now  in 
sheltered  spots,  will  bloom  till  the  end  of 
November.  Cutting  off  blossoms  before  they 
commence  to  fade  will  induce  geraniums, 
fuchsias,  stocks,  etc.,  to  throw  up  new  flower 
stalks.  You  can  take  slips  from  all  plants 
during  this  month.  Permanent  vines  should 
be  tied  up  to  trellises  as  the  new  wood  grows. 

FARM    CROPS 

Any  odd  half  or  whole  acres  adjacent  to 
the  poultry  houses,  available  for  planting, 
should  now  be  turned  over  and  seeded  with 
crimson  clover,  to  aid  the  supply  of  green 
food  in  late  fall  and  early  winter.  If  the 

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orchard  should  be  old,  worn-out  ground, 
plough  and  sow  clover  now  to  turn  under 
in  the  spring.  It  will  renovate  the  ground 
and  feed  the  trees,  as  clover  is  a  legume  and 
attains  its  nitrogen  from  the  air,  conveying 
it  to  the  soil;  so  that  land  on  which  clover 
has  been  grown  will  need  only  a  phosphate 
top  dressing  the  following  year,  even  for  such 
greedy  plants  as  cabbage  and  celery. 

Should  the  hay  crop  have  proved  poor, 
crimson  clover  and  cow-peas  sown  early 
this  month  will  be  ready  to  mow  and  cure 
the  last  of  August  or  the  first  of  September, 
if  it  is  a  late  season.  Either  make  good  hay 
for  poultry  and  stock,  having  about  the  same 
food  value  as  wheat  bran. 


THE  cow 

The  cow  suffers  severely  from  flies  and 
heat  during  the  sultry  days  of  July  and  Au- 
gust, especially  if  she  has  to  be  tethered. 
Loose  in  a  fenced  pasture,  she  can  rub  the 

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pests  off  against  the  bushes,  and  any  lot 
worthy  the  name  of  pasture  should  have  a 
pond  or  stream  for  her  to  wade  into;  but 
when  fifty  feet  of  rope  or  chain  limit  her 
wanderings,  be  thoughtful  enough  to  select 
a  shady  spot  for  her  tenting  ground,  and 
keep  fresh,  cool  water  within  her  reach. 
Before  turning  her  out  in  the  morning,  brush 
off  with  some  one  of  the  good  fly  lotions; 
and  on  the  few  record-breaking  days  which 
visit  us  every  summer,  soak  a  burlap  horse- 
blanket  in  water  and  throw  it  over  her;  the 
evaporation  will  keep  her  cool.  If  that 
seems  too  much  trouble,  at  least  let  her 
have  a  comfortable  siesta  in  a  darkened 
stable  from  one  o'clock  until  three-thirty. 
It  is  the  single  cow  which  usually  suffers 
the  most,  so  it  is  comparatively  easy  to  re- 
lieve the  trouble.  A  herd  compels  a  prop- 
erly fenced  pasture,  where  they  are  free  to 
wander  at  will.  Selfishly,  the  cow's  comfort 
should  be  attended  to  during  the  summer, 
for  she  will  give  more  and  better  milk. 

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CHAPTER  XII 

AUGUST 

HOEYOND  the  gratification  of  receiving 
-*-^  public  assurance  that  your  birds  are 
"  the  real  thing,"  a  show-room  indorsement 
increases  profits  considerably.  It  changes  the 
value  of  thirteen  eggs  from  the  ordinary 
market,  25  or  40  cents,  to  $2;  occasionally 
even  $5. 

Every  poultry  man  and  woman  should 
thank  the  clubs  and  fanciers  who  have  suc- 
cessfully established  shows  all  over  the  coun- 
try. They  arouse  general  interest  in  good 
birds,  which  bring  the  very  cream  of  profit 
to  the  breeder  industrious  enough  to  study 
the  standard  and  develop,  point  by  point, 
until  a  near  approach  to  perfection  is  reached. 

How  is  this  to  be  accomplished? 

Of  course  there  must  be  some  thorough- 
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bred  birds  of  whatever  kind  you  intend  to 
devote  your  energies  to,  as  a  foundation  on 
which  to  work. 

Many  people  seem  to  think  that  a  thor- 
oughbred means  show  specimens  —  a  great 
mistake.  You  may  have  a  bird  which  has 
been  hatched  from  an  egg  laid  by  a  cham- 
pion, but  which  develops  a  wry  tail,  comb, 
wattles,  or  ear-lobes  all  out  of  proportion, 
or  numerous  other  faults  which  disqualify 
for  show  purposes.  These  are  the  birds 
which  swell  breeders  sell  for  a  dollar  or  a 
dollar  and  a  half.  They  are,  in  all  prob- 
ability, from  the  best  of  stock,  and  judi- 
cious mating  may  enable  you  to  rear  winners. 
" Blood  will  tell"  is  nowhere  more  positively 
demonstrated  than  in  bird  or  animal  culture. 
It  is  better  to  buy  faulty  birds  of  a  celebrated 
strain  than  a  perfect  "  accident,"  for  its 
progeny  is  nearly  sure  to  show  some,  perhaps 
all,  the  mongrel  of  its  ancestors. 

The  law  of  improvement  demands  a  study 
of  faults  and  shortcomings  rather  than  good 

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points.  Extremes  meet  and  form  a  perfect 
whole  simply  explains  the  line  to  follow. 
Further  to  exemplify:  A  hen  with  legs  too 
short  and  a  comb  too  large  should  have  for  a 
mate  a  bird  whose  legs  are  a  little  too  long,  comb 
a  little  too  small,  rather  than  a  perfect  specimen 
who  would  have  no  tendency  in  these  directions 
to  counterbalance  the  hen's  weaknesses. 

Again,  you  should  have  a  fairly  good  lot 
of  hens  to  select  from.  Commence  by  pick- 
ing out  the  very  best;  study  her  closely;  find 
the  fault  or  faults,  and  select  four  or  five 
others  from  the  same  pen  with  similar  short- 
comings, so  that  in  considering  the  cockerel 
to  be  yarded  with  them  there  will  be  a 
general  benefit.  Naturally,  if  you  can  afford 
to  start  with  a  trio  of  prize  winners,  much 
time  and  labor  will  be  saved. 

If  you  have  been  breeding  from  nearly 
perfect  birds  this  summer,  your  preference 
of  youngsters  will  be  easily  made;  and  as 
one  can  never  be  quite  sure  of  development, 
single  out  nine  or  ten  of  the  most  promis- 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

ing,  even  if  you  only  purpose  sending  two 
or  three  to  the  show  room.  Put  them  into 
small  quarters  and  gradually  accustom  them 
to  being  handled.  A  little  patience  will  soon 
get  them  used  to  eating  out  of  your  hand. 
This  prevents  their  being  frightened  when 
put  up  for  public  admiration,  or  during  the 
judge's  handling  and  examination.  Gradu- 
ally lessen  their  pen  space  till  they  have  no 
more  room  than  in  the  exhibition  coop.  Such 
treatment  prevents  your  birds  fretting  and 
pining;  insures  their  showing  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage and  returning  home  in  good  condition. 

On  the  other  hand,  take  birds  straight 
from  a  large  yard  and  place  them  in  the 
restricted  quarters  of  a  show-room  coop  — 
they  fret,  won't  eat,  flutter,  and  fight  to  get 
out  when  any  visitor  to  the  show  stops  to 
look  at  them,  so  that  their  beauty  has  no 
chance  of  demonstration.  The  poor  judge 
has  to  tussle  with  fluttering  wings,  and  has 
to  half  guess  the  points. 

These  things  are  frequently  neglected  by 
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the  amateur;  rarely  by  the  old  exhibitor, 
who  has  learned  the  advantage  of  having 
birds  or  animals  sufficiently  self-possessed 
to  be  "cute  and  cunning." 

Remember,  too,  one  good  point  won't  count 
without  general  symmetry  and  condition. 

Every  breed  has  its  standard  weight. 
Space  forbids  full  quotations,  but  here  are  a 
few  of  the  most  popular:  — 


ROOSTERS 

HENS 

COCKERELS 

PULLETS 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Plymouth  Rocks  . 

9* 

7* 

8 

H 

Wyandottes    .     . 

8* 

6* 

1\ 

5i 

Light  Brahmas  l  . 

12 

9* 

IO 

8 

Langshans      .     . 

IO 

7 

8 

6 

Andalusians    .     . 

^ 

si 

51 

4 

Minorcas    .     .     . 

8 

<* 

H 

51 

ADULT 

HENS 

COCKERELS 

PULLETS 

TOMS 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Bronze  Turkeys  . 

36 

20 

25 

16 

White  Holland    . 

26 

16 

16 

IO 

1  Dark  Brahmas  are  a  pound  lighter  all  through  than  light  Brahmas. 

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GANDER 

GOOSE 

YOUNG 
GANDER 

YOUNG 
GOOSE 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Tousouse  Geese  . 

2O 

18 

18 

15 

Embden  Geese   . 

2O 

18 

18 

16 

African  .... 

20 

18 

16 

14 

DRAKE 

DUCK 

YOUNG 
DRAKE 

YOUNG 
DUCK 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Lbs. 

Pekin  Ducks  .     . 

8 

7 

7 

6 

Rouen  Ducks,  one  pound  heavier  all  through. 

The  Standard  of  Perfection  instructs  judges 
to  deduct  two  points  a  pound  for  any  deficit 
from  standard,  or  one-half  point  an  ounce 
for  any  excess  over  standard  in  bantams. 
In  all  varieties  of  turkeys,  geese,  and  ducks 
having  weight  clauses,  three  points  per 
pound  are  deducted  for  any  deficit  from 
standard. 

This  short  summary  will  prove  the  impor- 
tance of  weight.  First  the  frame  of  the  bird 
must  be  the  right  size,  so  that  sound,  firm 

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flesh  will  cause  it  to  tip  the  scales  at  the  right 
mark.  Over-fattened  birds  lose  shape  and 
condition.  Many  birds  of  good  size,  shape, 
and  build  fail  to  receive  awards  because  of 
condition  and  plumage,  more  the  result  of  feed 
and  care  than  breeding.  I  have  seen  a  bird 
take  first  prize  in  one  show,  and  at  another, 
later  in  the  season,  when  out  of  condi- 
tion, be  passed  over  entirely. 

From  time  of  selection,  feed  good  sound 
food  three  times  a  day  —  just  the  amount 
they  will  eat  clean  in  ten  minutes.  Never 
throw  down  unlimited  supplies,  or  they  will 
get  overfat  and  lazy.  A  quarter  of  the 
whole  grain  each  day  should  be  hemp  or 
sunflower  seed,  to  make  the  feathers  bright 
and  glossy.  A  good  mash  feed  for  the  last 
few  weeks  is  rice  or  wheat  boiled  in  milk. 
If  your  birds  are  white  or  light  colored, 
shade  them  from  the  full  rays  of  the  sun, 
for  it  has  a  tendency  to  tan  white  feathers  and 
impoverish  the  quality  of  the  buff  plumage. 

The  day  before  shipping  light-colored  fowls 
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of  any  sort  should  be  washed.  Don't  gasp. 
It's  not  by  any  means  a  difficult  under- 
taking, but  must  be  done  thoroughly,  or 
the  result  is  anything  but  pleasing  to  behold. 
An  ordinary  wash-boiler  makes  a  good  bath 
because  of  the  oblong  shape.  Put  enough 
warm  water  into  it  to  cover  the  bird.  Make 
a  lather  of  good  white  soap.  Stand  the 
fowl  in  the  water  and  soak  for  a  few  min- 
utes. With  a  moderately  soft  brush  scrub 
down  and  across  the  feathers,  but  never 
upwards.  Go  at  it  with  a  will  —  don't  be 
afraid;  and  work  as  quickly  as  you  can. 
When  every  spot  is  removed,  hold  up  the 
bird  and  have  some  one  empty  and  refill 
the  bath  with  clean  water;  rinse,  repeat- 
ing the  scrubbing  downwards  to  remove  the 
soap.  Repeat  this  process  with  a  third  and 
fourth  water.  On  the  rinsing  depends  the 
success  of  this  washing.  When  every 
vestige  of  soap  has  disappeared,  stand  the 
bird  on  a  tray  and  dry  with  a  soft  towel. 
Next,  brush  downwards  with  a  fairly  stiff, 


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dry  brush;  then  place  in  a  drying  cage. 
This  is  easily  made  of  wire  netting  sides  and 
top,  with  a  wooden  floor,  a  perch  across  the 
centre  for  the  bird  to  roost  on,  high  enough 
to  prevent  its  tail  touching  the  floor.  Cover 
the  floor  with  three  inches  of  sawdust,  so 
that  all  droppings  will  immediately  be  ab- 
sorbed. The  cage  should  be  placed  in  a 
warm  corner  out  of  all  draught,  and  in  a  sur- 
prisingly short  time  the  feathers  will  begin  to 
web  and  fluff  out. 

Let  me  warn  you  —  if  the  water  is  too 
warm,  the  fowl  may  faint.  Do  not  be 
alarmed.  No  permanent  harm  will  result. 
It  will  revive  immediately  if  the  head  is  well 
doused  with  cold  water.  Get  all  the  dirt  off 
the  legs  and  feet;  next  morning  rub  just  a 
touch  of  vaseline  over  the  extremities  to 
soften  and  brighten  them. 

The  shipping  coops  should  be  large  enough 
for  the  birds  to  stand  upright  in.  As  most 
shows  are  held  in  cold  weather,  cover  the 
open  parts  with  strong,  unbleached  muslin. 

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Personally,  I  think  the  exhibitors  should 
accompany  the  birds,  or  send  a  trusty  at- 
tendant to  all  shows.  Such  a  course  as- 
sures better  care  on  the  journey,  and  enables 
you  to  care  for  their  health  during  the  trying 
time  of  close  confinement  which  competing 
for  honors  condemns  the  birds  to.  Your 
presence  often  procures  better  bench  accom- 
modations, insures  coops  which  are  free 
from  dust,  clean  drinking  cups,  and  all  the 
small  details  which  help  a  good  appearance. 

CAPONS 

Capons  have  never  been  half  as  much  used 
in  this  country  as  in  Europe.  Now,  how- 
ever, they  are  growing  in  popularity  and 
must  not  be  ignored.  I  tried  it  on  my  farm, 
but  gave  it  up,  for  the  operation  suggested 
the  dissecting  room  far  too  closely  to  be 
endured  by  me. 

We  were  visited  about  five  years  ago  by 
an  English  poultry  expert,  who  insisted  that 

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no  poultry  farm,  properly  so  called,  was 
complete  without  capons  and  the  means  to 
fatten  the  birds  artificially.  His  arguments 
were  so  convincing,  that  $50  were  de- 
spatched to  England  for  a  machine  to  do 
the  stuffing.  Caponizing  instruments  were 
bought,  and  my  first  lesson  was  taken  on  a 
dead  cockerel.  That  seemed  only  a  little 
worse  than  drawing  a  bird  for  table  use. 
My  English  friend  assured  me  that  I  would 
think  nothing  of  dissecting  a  live  bird  when 
used  to  it.  The  next  day  he  picked  out  six 
cockerels,  each  about  three  months  old,  and 
had  them  brought  over  to  the  feed  house. 
The  day  before  a  small  table  had  been  sent 
over  and  prepared  for  the  proceeding;  one 
must  be  able  to  move  the  birds  wherever 
the  light  is  at  its  best. 

The  fowl  surgeon  took  one  of  the  two  pieces 
of  cord,  which  had  been  expressly  prepared 
with  a  slip-knot  at  one  end  and  a  weight  at 
the  other.  Slipping  the  loop  twice  over  the 
bird's  feet,  he  placed  it  on  its  left  side  on  the 

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table,  with  the  weight  hanging  over  the  end; 
then  pulling  the  wings  up  and  outward,  the 
loop  of  number  two  piece  of  string  was 
slipped  over  them,  weighted,  and  the  weights 
allowed  to  hang  down.  The  next  move  was 
to  wet  the  side  of  the  bird  exposed  with 
cold  water,  to  prevent  bleeding  and  make 
the  feathers  lie  flat  when  pushed  back. 
All  this  was  comfortably  interesting,  but 
when  he  reached  for  the  knife,  there  was  a 
feeling  of  very  distinct  uncomfortableness. 
The  businesslike  voice  of  my  instructor 
explained  that  the  skin  must  be  pulled 
down  with  the  left  hand,  and  the  knife  in- 
serted between  the  first  and  second  ribs. 
He  made  the  incision  quickly,  about  a  quarter 
of  an  inch.  The  poor  bird  squirmed,  neces- 
sitating a  momentary  pause.  This  always 
occurs,  the  bird  working  its  ribs  up  and 
down;  however,  it  soon  resumed  tranquillity 
when  the  cut  was  lengthened  an  inch. 

About    this    time    I    became    strongly    im- 
pressed with  the  fact  that  I  had  ribs  of  my 

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own,  every  one  of  which  seemed  highly  sen- 
sitive. My  head  felt  odd,  too.  A  peculiar 
tightness  across  my  forehead  seemed  to  be 
dragging  my  temples  toward  each  other. 
Mr.  Expert  put  down  the  knife.  My  con- 
dition began  to  improve,  but  went  all  to 
pieces  again  when  an  instrument  called  the 
"  spreader  "  was  inserted.  Detail  upon  detail 
was  explained,  with  cautions  to  avoid  cut- 
ting the  backbone  or  an  artery.  My  in- 
ternal feelings  became  horribly  appalling; 
stars  of  various  sizes  danced  all  sorts  of 
jigs  in  front  of  my  eyes.  My  flesh  got  all 
goosey,  and  if  our  dear  old  cow  had  not,  at 
this  moment,  created  a  blessed  interruption 
by  breaking  out  of  the  pasture,  I  should 
have  disgraced  myself  forever  by  flopping 
over  right  in  front  of  Mr.  Expert.  Very 
urgent  business  was  promptly  arranged  that 
prevented  my  returning  to  the  feed  house,  and 
it  afterward  happened  that  things  so  turned 
out  that  it  was  absolutely  impossible  for  me 
to  make  an  opportunity  for  another  lesson. 

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This  experiment  warrants  my  counselling 
any  woman  who  has  not  qualified  as  a  trained 
surgical  nurse  not  to  try  caponizing.  If 
you  are  near  a  big  city  where  there  is  a 
large  market  and  special  demand  for  them, 
a  little  tactful  questioning  of  the  people  who 
buy  these  specialties  will  enable  you  to  find 
some  man  who  understands  the  work  and 
can  be  hired  to  visit  your  place  for  a  small 
fee  and  save  you  from  attempting  what  must 
be  uncongenial,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  to  any 
woman. 

The  six  cockerels  which  were  operated  on 
enabled  me  to  test  the  value  of  caponiz- 
ing from  personal  observation;  and  I  am 
convinced  that  where  there  is  a  market  for 
the  best,  there  is  money  in  capons. 

Late-hatched  chickens  operated  on  hi  Oc- 
tober will  make  splendid  table  birds  the 
following  April,  and  during  the  interim  can 
take  the  place  of  brooders  for  incubator 
chicks;  for  one  of  the  advantages  of  capon- 
izing cockerels  is  the  gentle,  placid  nature 

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they  develop.  Put  a  capon  on  a  nest  at 
night,  and  tuck  as  many  as  eighteen  chicks 
just  out  of  the  incubator  under  him,  and 
he  will  wake  up  next  morning  with  every 
quality  of  an  ideal  mother,  scratching  for 
and  feeding  his  babies  in  the  most  approved 
way;  and  further,  he  will  never  dream  of 
deserting  his  family  —  they  have  to  be  taken 
away  from  him. 

In  this  way  he  more  than  pays  for  his 
food  while  growing,  which  he  does  rapidly, 
reaching  ten  or  twelve  pounds  in  weight; 
and  as  the  frame  retains  the  normal  size, 
the  addition  is  all  meat  of  delicious  flavor,  as 
tender  as  a  squab  broiler,  bringing  from  20 
to  25  cents  a  pound. 

My  six  capons  raised  two  hundred  and 
eleven  chicks  from  January  to  April,  and 
then  sold  for  $1.80  each  as  roasters. 

The  advisability  of  adding  this  branch  of 
the  business  to  the  farm  must  entirely  de- 
pend on  the  possibility  of  getting  the  work 
done  and  the  certainty  of  a  market  demand. 

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WATER-CRESS 

Water-cress  is  easily  forced  for  winter 
use  or  market,  and  if  you  have  private  cus- 
tomers for  eggs,  you  can  sell  the  winter- 
cress,  too,  at  10  or  12  cents  a  bunch. 
The  spring  brook  which  supplied  us  with 
cress  during  the  spring  and  summer  ran 
under  a  low  log  bridge.  Chancing  down 
the  wagon  road  late  one  January,  we  were 
astonished  to  see  fresh  green  sprigs  of  cress 
flourishing  under  its  meagre  protection.  The 
hint  suggested  trying  to  protect  enough  of  the 
stream  to  provide  our  table  the  next  winter. 

In  October  brush  was  piled  some  two 
feet  high  on  each  side  of  the  stream,  for  a 
distance  of  five  or  six  feet.  Late  in  No- 
vember a  sort  of  hurdle  of  thin  cedar  poles 
was  made,  and  extra  branches  securely  tied 
on  to  prevent  the  wind  from  dislodging 
them.  When  completed,  the  hurdle  was 
placed  over  the  stream,  each  end  resting  on 
a  brush  pile.  Though  primitive,  this  ar- 

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rangement  proved  beyond  doubt  that  forc- 
ing water-cress  is  practical. 

The  stream  was  inconveniently  located; 
so,  having  an  unfailing  spring  at  the  back  of 
the  orchard,  we  determined  to  make  new 
cress  beds.  The  first  step  was  to  have  the 
spring  dug  out  and  walled  up  three  feet. 
On  each  side  a  trap,  or  small  sluice,  was  in- 
serted, and  from  the  outer  side  of  the  wall 
ditches  three  feet  wide  and  deep  were  dug; 
the  bottom  was  covered  with  four  inches  of 
sand,  and  the  beds  were  ready  for  planting. 

The  sluices  were  opened  to  saturate  the 
bottom  of  the  ditch.  Then  all  but  the 
merest  trickle  of  water  was  shut  off,  until 
the  roots,  which  were  brought  from  the  old 
stream,  had  gained  a  firm  growth  in  the 
sand.  Then  a  steady  supply  was  let  in  — 
sufficient  in  quantity  to  keep  about  half  a 
foot  of  water  constantly  running  through 
the  ditch.  November  1  the  full  length  of 
the  excavation  was  covered  with  hot-bed 
sashes,  which  kept  our  cress  productive  all 


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through  the  winter,  and  brought  so  much 
"grist  to  the  mill"  that  the  ditches,  which 
were  originally  only  ten  feet  long,  were  sub- 
sequently extended  to  over  a  hundred. 

When  it  is  impossible  to  get  roots  for  trans- 
planting, as  we  did,  I  have  been  told  by  a 
reliable  person  that  seeds  sown  in  shallow 
pans  filled  with  sand  and  kept  moist  will 
quickly  produce  plants  which  can  be  trans- 
planted successfully, 


VEGETABLE    GARDEN 

Seeds  of  lettuce,  cabbage,  and  cauliflower 
should  be  sown  in  the  open  ground  now  to 
transplant  to  the  cold-frame  later,  which  in- 
sures hardy,  well-developed  plants  to  set  out 
next  spring. 

Strawberries  can  be  planted  during  the 
whole  month  and  will  be  established  before 
frost.  Commence  to  draw  earth  round  the 
celery  roots  with  a  hoe,  and  prepare  it  for 
next  month's  "hilling  up."  Spinach  and 

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Scotch  curly  greens  should  be  sown  now  for 
early  spring  use. 

The  onion  tops,  if  still  green,  should  be 
bent  over  to  the  ground.  It  is  quickly  ac- 
complished by  walking  along  the  rows  and 
striking  down  the  tops  with  the  back  of  a 
hoe.  The  turning  over  stops  growth  and 
hastens  ripening.  When  the  tops  are  yellow 
and  dried-looking,  dig  up  the  bulbs  on  a 
dry  day  and  leave  them  in  the  full  sun  for 
two  days;  then  store  in  shallow  boxes,  or  on 
shelves  in  a  dry,  cool  outhouse,  until  frost; 
when  they  must  be  covered  with  a  heavy 
layer  of  straw  or  moved  to  a  warm  cellar. 

Two  or  three  frames  will  be  found  very 
useful  for  drying  fruit  and  vegetables.  Ours 
are  six  feet  long,  three  feet  wide,  covered 
with  one-inch  wire  netting;  and  we  stand 
them  between  two  trestles  when  in  use. 

If  you  slip  paper  grocery  bags  over  the 
bunches  of  grapes,  tying  the  top  of  the  bag 
together  writh  a  piece  of  string  round  the 
stalk,  the  flavor  will  be  much  improved 

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and   the   birds    cannot    steal  the  fruit   as    it 
ripens. 

Weeds  should  be  vigorously  attacked  this 
month  to  prevent  their  seeding  and  infest- 
ing the  ground  for  next  year.  Brush  which 
is  encroaching  round  fences  and  in  odd 
corners  can  be  destroyed  now  more  easily 
than  at  any  other  time  of  the  year,  because 
the  sap  and  strength  is  nearly  all  in  the  top 
growth  at  this  season;  therefore  cutting 
down  to  the  earth's  surface  robs  the  roots  of 
winter  nourishment,  and  they  invariably  die 
of  inanition. 

FLOWER    GARDEN 

Prepare  or  plant  a  border  or  bed  of  bulbs. 
They  will  herald  spring  next  year  in  your 
flower  garden  almost  before  the  snow  melts. 
Finding  the  first  snowdrop  or  crocus  is  such 
a  real  joy  that  it  seems  wrong  not  to  spend 
the  little  time  and  cash  necessary  to  start 
them.  Once  established,  they  will  come  up 
year  after  year.  If  the  earth  is  heavy,  mix 

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sand  and  leaf  mould  with  it.  Dig  deep,  and 
plant  snowdrops  and  crocuses  two  inches 
deep;  hyacinths,  narcissi,  and  tulips,  four 
inches  deep. 

A  window  box  or  pots  can  be  started  now 
for  Christmas  blossoming.  Fill  with  rich, 
sandy  loam ;  press  the  hyacinths  and  kindred 
bulbs  about  half  their  depth  into  the  earth, 
snowdrops  and  crocuses  to  just  beneath 
the  surface.  Keep  the  boxes  or  pots  in  a 
dark  cellar  where  the  temperature  will  not 
rise  above  fifty  degrees,  and  in  seven  or  eight 
weeks  they  will  have  developed  strong  roots; 
then  they  can  be  brought  into  a  warm  room, 
well  watered,  and  placed  in  a  light  window, 
where  they  will  soon  commence  to  make  top 
growth. 

Slips  taken  from  geraniums,  fuchsias,  be- 
gonias, and  roses  now  will  make  good  plants 
for  bedding  out  next  summer.  A  shal- 
low dish  filled  with  sandy  mould,  or 
individual  pots,  can  be  used  for  starting 
them.  Until  well  established,  the  earth 

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must  be  kept  perpetually  moist,  or  the 
delicate  roots  will  die  out  and  the  slips  per- 
ish. Rose  slips  should  be  cut  from 
branches  grown  last  year.  Geraniums  and 
such  plants,  on  the  contrary,  are  better 
taken  from  recent  growth,  where  the  slip 
can  be  easily  snapped  off  by  bending. 


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CHAPTER  XIII 

SEPTEMBER 

QCRATCHING  materials  and  green 
^  food  for  the  fowls  and  chickens  should 
now  be  thought  of,  or  else  they  will  go  short 
in  the  winter  and  the  egg  crop  will  di- 
minish. Dandelion,  plantain,  chickweed,  and 
all  such  green  things,  gathered  and  packed 
into  barrels  with  a  board  fitted  tightly  to  the 
inside  on  which  a  heavy  weight  is  placed, 
will  remain  in  a  fresh,  succulent  condition  far 
into  the  cold  season.  This  will  save  expense, 
materially  increase  the  egg  yield,  and  insure 
fertility.  Ferns  and  weeds,  cut  now  and 
dried,  will  enable  you  to  be  generous  with 
litter  during  the  cold  months. 

September  should  find  all  the  pullets 
"singing."  Keep  them  busy,  get  them  to 
laying  steadily  before  the  really  cold  weather 
comes.  Are  the  old  houses  all  in  order? 

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Make  a  thorough  examination  of  all  roofs. 
Don't  let  a  sappy-looking  place  in  the  cov- 
ering of  the  coop  pass.  Lay  a  strip  of  fresh 
roofing  paper  over  it  and  nail  down  securely. 
See  that  all  windows  and  doors  will  close 
easily  and  perfectly,  leaving  no  cracks  to 
make  draughts. 

Guinea  fowls  should  be  called  up  and 
fed  near  the  house  or  shed  you  want  them 
to  roost  in.  Remember,  a  little  trouble  now 
will  prevent  loss  during  the  winter,  and  will 
save  time  in  spring  hunting  nests  and  eggs. 

Cockerels,  to  introduce  new  blood  for  the 
breeding  pens,  can  be  bought  cheaper  now 
than  in  the  spring.  If  you  are  going  in  for 
winter  broilers,  pens  should  be  made  up 
now  and  incubators  started.  Even  if  you 
are  only  going  to  get  the  high  prices  that 
genuinely  early  spring  chickens  fetch,  incu- 
bators should  not  be  delayed  beyond  January. 
Orders  for  incubators  and  brooders  must  be 
sent  in  now,  or  you  may  have  to  wait  weeks 
for  machines  —  there  is  always  such  a  de- 
u  289 


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mand  for  them  from  October  to  March. 
White  Wyandottes  and  Plymouth  Rocks  are 
the  best  broilers.  Seven  hens  of  these  breeds 
are  sufficient  to  run  with  a  cockerel.  More 
only  cause  waste  of  eggs  and  time.  Infer- 
tile eggs  or  weak  germs,  which  have  to  be 
removed  when  you  discover  them  on  testing 
the  eggs  on  the  seventh  or  fifteenth  day, 
will  cause  you  to  run  the  incubator  for  per- 
haps only  half  its  capacity. 

PIGEONS    NEED    ATTENTION    NOW 

If  you  started  pigeons  for  fancy  stock  or 
squabs  last  spring,  and  kept  the  first  lots  of 
young  ones  for  stock,  they  should  now  be 
mated  and  put  into  the  house  they  are  to 
remain  in.  Young  birds  are  occasionally 
neglectful  about  building  nests  in  time,  so 
look  for  dropped  eggs;  locate  the  careless 
pair,  and  unless  they  select  a  box  and  build 
for  the  second  laying,  take  them  out  of  the 
house  and  turn  them  into  pigeon  pie. 

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If  you  haven't  tried  squab  raising  for  mar- 
ket, this  is  the  best  time  to  start;  because, 
like  all  poultry,  the  supply  is  more  plentiful 
and  the  stock  better  now  than  later. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  you  have  been  rais- 
ing fancy  birds  and  want  to  exhibit  at  the 
coming  poultry  shows,  now  is  the  time  to 
select  the  most  promising.  Put  them  into 
a  small  coop  or  cage,  and  begin  the  training 
necessary  to  prevent  their  being  frightened 
when  shipped.  All  the  old  birds  should  be 
recovering  from  moulting,  so  you  can  judge 
the  plumage  pretty  accurately.  A  little  hemp 
seed  will  add  lustre  to  the  plumage,  but  don't 
be  too  generous  with  it,  or  there  will  be  danger 
of  fat.  Remember  that  they  need  grit  and  salt 
as  much,  or  even  more,  when  cooped  than 
when  in  the  pigeon  house. 

FALL    CHICKENS 

For  several  seasons  we  have  made  a  spe- 
cialty of  raising  fall  chickens  for  winter  kill- 

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ing,  and  find  it  very  profitable.  Of  course 
it  necessitates  making  up  a  yard  of  breeding 
birds  about  the  middle  of  August,  but  some 
of  the  older  hens  can  be  used  before  they 
are  sold  off.  One  or  two  incubators  are 
filled  the  first  week  in  September,  which 
brings  out  the  chicks  when  the  weather  is 
still  bright  but  cool,  and  gives  them  fully 
six  weeks  of  free  range,  which  insures  growth 
and  health  at  a  minimum  cost;  for  there  are 
more  insects  now  than  in  the  spring,  weed 
and  grass  seeds  galore. 

Another  advantage  of  fall  rearing  is  the 
absence  of  spring  showers  and  heavy  dews. 
Of  course  they  must  have  good  housing,  for 
the  October  nights  are  chilly;  but  houses 
should  be  in  order  by  October.  Young, 
plump  roasters  will  bring  from  20  to  25 
cents  a  pound  during  the  holidays. 

The  business  end  of  the  farm  needs  caring 
for  now.  Try  to  make  arrangements  with 
some  private  persons  to  take  regular  quan- 
tities of  eggs,  roasters,  squabs,  during  the 

292 


*« 


TWELVE-DOZEN  EGG  Box 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

fall  and  winter.  If  you  can  approximate 
your  customers'  wants  now,  you  can  arrange 
your  stock,  and  buy  grain,  etc.,  at  harvest 
time,  at  a  lower  price  than  will  be  possible 
later. 

If  you  are  living  in  a  "way-out  farm," 
where  personal  touch  with  customers  is  im- 
possible, put  an  advertisement  into  the  Sun- 
day paper  of  your  nearest  town,  stating  that 

you  can  supply  fresh  eggs  at (naming  the 

price)  to  a  few  customers  who  will  pay  ex- 
press charges,  amounting  to  only  25  cents 
for  twelve  dozen. 

If  you  are  going  to  have  guineas,  turkeys, 
ducks,  or  geese,  say  so  plainly  and  simply. 
When  people  write  for  more  information, 
reply  at  once  and  write  distinctly. 

Another  good  plan  I  know  three  or  four 
women  to  have  followed  is  to  write  to  the 
Women's  Exchange,  asking  it  to  take  orders; 
also  to  permit  you  to  send  to  its  office  twelve, 
twenty-four,  or  thirty-six  dozen  eggs  at  once, 
—  it  will  cost  no  more  than  a  single  dozen, — 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

then  customers  can  fetch  their  smaller  orders. 

No  matter  how  the  custom  is  obtained, 
the  utmost  care  must  be  taken  to  fulfil  punctu- 
ally all  agreements.  For  instance,  arrange 
on  what  day  shipments  are  to  be  made,  and, 
rain  or  shine,  never  fail  to  despatch  them. 
Never  keep  eggs  over  and  then  mix  with  per- 
fectly fresh  ones.  One  stale  egg  will  destroy 
faith  in  your  goods.  If  you  should  find  a 
nest  that  has  been  hidden  away,  destroy  the 
eggs  rather  than  let  one  destroy  your  repu- 
tation for  honesty. 

If  the  weather  is  rainy  and  mud  is  about, 
and  eggs  get  smeared  in  the  nest,  wipe  them 
with  a  damp  cloth  before  packing.  Also 
try  to  maintain  a  uniformity  of  size.  Use  up 
small  ones  on  your  own  table,  or  get  a  home 
market  for  them  at  a  lower  price. 

A  hint  about  packing :  If  you  are  going  to 
ship  to  private  persons,  send  to  a  poultry-sup- 
ply store  for  egg  boxes  to  hold  six  or  twelve 
dozen  each.  They  are  strong,  neat  cases, 
furnished  with  two  or  four  carrying  trays, 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

which  are  quite  safe  and  will  last  for  years, 
and  are  well  worth  the  price  —  $1.50  each. 
Have  your  name  and  address  painted  on 
the  box,  and  above  it  the  words,  "When 
empty  return  to."  All  express  companies 
return  shipping  boxes  and  crates  free  of 
charge.  The  customer's  name  and  address 
can  be  written  on  a  tag,  or  on  a  card  tacked 
to  the  lid.  Inside  the  lid  place  a  written 
request  to  empty  and  return  to  expressman 
on  receipt  of  next  box.  As  empty  "returns" 
are  apt  to  be  delayed,  you  should  have  three 
boxes  for  each  customer. 

In  sending  thirty-six  dozen  at  a  time  to 
one  person  to  distribute,  ordinary  egg  crates 
will  do;  but  address  in  the  same  manner,  to 
prevent  mistakes  and  loss. 

The  following  is  an  item  clipped  from  a 
farm  paper,  and  sent  me  six  or  seven  years 
ago:  — 

"He  who  puts  the  finest  product  on  the 
market  reaps  the  richest  harvest. 

"  Eggs  are  refined  wheat,  corn,  grass,  and 
295 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

contain,  besides,  much  that  on  the  farm 
would  otherwise  go  to  waste.  In  winter  a 
basket  of  fifty  dozen  will  bring  more  money 
than  a  load  of  hay  it  took  a  large  patch  of 
land  to  grow,  a  team  to  cut,  a  horse  and  man 
to  rake,  two  men  to  stack,  and  a  team,  wagon, 
and  man  to  market.  Sell  fresh  eggs  or 
none  at  all.  Get  just  as  far  as  possible  from 
the  lot  dumped  on  the  corner  grocery.  Seek 
for  regular  customers  and  get  retail  prices. 
Stop  crying  about  low  rates  and  cheap  goods 
by  rising  above  them.  Herein  is  the  gospel 
of  successful  poultry  raising." 

The   above   is   so  true  that  every  poultry 
farmer  should  take  it  for  a  text. 


NEW    CHICKEN-HOUSES 

September  should  find  the  farm  so  over- 
run with  half-grown  poultry  that  new  houses 
will  be  a  necessity.  It  would  be  foolish  to 
spend  money  in  poor,  inconvenient  make- 
shifts, when  one  or  two  sections  of  a  well- 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

constructed  building  can  be  erected  for 
almost  the  same  price,  and  easily  added  to, 
as  increase  of  stock  or  business  warrant 
the  outlay.  Another  consideration  is  time. 
The  old  house,  patched  up  for  use  last  year, 
was  all  very  well  for  sheltering  a  few  hens 
you  had  plenty  of  time  to  attend  to;  but 
work  for  the  coming  winter  makes  it  impera- 
tive that  buildings  should  be  arranged  with 
due  consideration  for  saving  of  time  in  the 
distribution  of  food  and  water,  gathering  of 
eggs,  etc. 

The  plan  with  this  article,  which  has  a 
hallway  from  which  all  such  work  can  be 
done,  especially  appeals  to  me  as  a  most 
appropriate  house  for  a  flock  of  hens  destined 
to  become  egg  machines.  The  description 
of  the  building  has  been  supplied  by  the 
architect,  a  thoroughly  experienced  poultry- 
man  who  has  tested  the  working  practica- 
bility of  the  house  by  years  of  personal  use, 
as  follows:  — 

Where  market  eggs  are  the  chief  object,  I 
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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

prefer  this  house  to  any  other.  The  inte- 
rior arrangements  are  such  that  the  feeding, 
watering,  and  gathering  of  eggs  can  be  done 
from  the  passageway.  The  house  is  also 
built  on  the  open  scratching-shed  plan,  with 
separate  enclosed  roosting  rooms. 

For  cold  climates  glass  windows  are  used 
where  protection  is  needed  in  the  houses, 
made  to  slide  on  the  sill  by  means  of  small 
rollers  at  the  bottom  of  the  sash.  One  half 
of  the  window  may  be  stationary,  the  other 
half  to  slide.  Wire  netting  may  be  fastened 
to  the  windows  on  the  inside,  which  will 
allow  the  windows  to  be  open  in  warm  weather 
when  the  fowls  love  to  roll  and  scratch  in 
the  sun.  This  will  keep  them  active  and  in 
good  health.  Too  much  cannot  be  said 
about  windows  in  planning  for  the  scratch- 
ing shed.  The  roof  may  be  either  shingles 
or  tar  paper.  I  prefer  the  former.  The 
front  elevation  is  six  feet  from  sill  to  top  of 
plate.  The  north  side  is  also  six  feet,  and  ten 
feet  six  inches  to  hip  of  roof.  Two  roosting 

298 


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rooms  and  two  scratching  sheds  can  come 
together,  as  shown  in  Fig.  2.  The  hallway 
is  four  feet.  A  track  may  be  laid  and  a 
small  car  used,  which  will  be  found  very 
convenient  in  a  long  house  in  carrying 
water  and  feed;  also  in  cleaning  roosts, 
carrying  litter,  etc.,  for  the  scratching  sheds. 

In  Fig.  1  is  shown  the  arrangement  of 
nests  with  four  to  a  section,  and  a  small 
drop  door  opening  into  the  hallway,  through 
which  to  gather  the  eggs.  The  nests  are 
two  feet  from  the  floor,  and  in  size  are  fif- 
teen inches  deep  and  one  foot  high.  Muslin, 
or  wire  netting,  may  be  used  above  as  de- 
sired. The  slats  through  which  the  fowls 
feed  are  two  and  one-half  inches  apart,  two 
inches  wide,  and  the  edges  rounded  so  as 
not  to  tear  the  feathers  of  the  fowls  while 
feeding.  The  feed  troughs  may  be  the  full 
length  of  each  apartment  and  are  easily 
removed  and  cleaned. 

The  drinking  dish  illustrated  in  Fig.  1  is 
simply  a  two-quart,  or  larger,  pan,  set  in  a 

300 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

recess  with  slats  all  around  it  to  protect  it 
from  flying  scratching  materials.  It  plainly 
shows  how  it  is  made  and  how  it  fits  into  the 
partition  between  the  walk  and.  the  pen,  the 
pan  extending  into  the  pen.  The  top  and 
bottom  boards  are  cut  the  exact  size  of  the 
top  edge  of  the  pan,  half  round,  and  extend 
back  square,  to  and  through  the  partition, 
so  the  pans  can  be  drawn  out  into  the  walk 
to  be  rinsed  and  refilled. 

The  roosting  rooms  are  eight  by  twelve 
feet,  with  windows  in  front  as  shown  in 
Fig.  1.  The  roosting  platform  is  two  feet 
from  the  floor  and  runs  the  full  length  of  the 
room.  Three  perches  are  used,  rounded  on 
top,  made  of  two  by  threes,  and  six  inches 
above  the  platform.  Thirty  or  forty  fowls 
can  be  accommodated  in  each  room.  The 
partitions  between  the  roosting  rooms  and 
the  scratching  sheds  are  boarded  up  tight, 
and  between  the  scratching  sheds  are  three 
boards  high,  the  balance  of  the  partitions 
being  wire  netting.  A  space  of  two  inches 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

is  left  between  the  boards  of  the  ceiling  over 
the  roosting  rooms,  over  and  on  top  of  which 
is  laid  plenty  of  straw  and  hay.  The  mois- 
ture from  the  fowls  passes  up  through  the 
openings,  and  is  absorbed  by  the  straw, 
etc.;  and  by  leaving  the  doors  on  each  end 
of  the  passageway  open  for  a  short  time  dur- 
ing the  day  in  winter,  all  moisture  is  carried 
out,  leaving  your  building  perfectly  dry  and 
free  from  dampness. 

THE   PIG 

However  small  the  farm,  a  pig  seems 
a  necessary  and  undoubtedly  a  profitable 
adjunct.  During  our  first  summer,  waste 
vegetables  and  fruits  had  made  us  realize 
the  necessity  for  adding  a  pig  to  the  live- 
stock; but  we  had  decided  to  wait  until  the 
following  spring  before  acquiring  an  animal 
which  we  all  had  a  certain  dread  of  caring 
for.  But,  as  usual,  destiny  shaped  our  in- 
tent her  own  way  by  sending  an  attractive 
young  sow  our  way  early  in  September. 

302 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

She  was  medium-sized,  all  white,  and 
looked  peaceful;  so,  knowing  that  we  had 
plenty  of  fodder,  we  bought  her.  In  Febru- 
ary of  the  following  year  she  had  nine  little 
ones,  four  pairs  of  which  were  sold  six  weeks 
later  for  $6  a  pair.  The  odd  one  was  kept 
until  eight  months  old,  and  killed  for  home 
consumption,  weighing  two  hundred  and 
three  pounds.  Home-cured  ham  and  bacon 
are  luxuries  not  to  be  bought  at  the  best 
market. 

Pigs  are  by  no  means  the  dirty,  uninter- 
esting animals  they  are  generally  supposed 
to  be.  Of  course,  I  am  referring  to  the 
family  pig.  Extensive  hog  raising  I  know 
nothing  about.  Like  all  other  creatures,  en- 
vironment has  much  influence  on  behavior. 
A  well-housed,  well-fed  pig  will  be  self- 
respecting  and  well  behaved. 

Peggy  had  a  house  equipped  with  mod- 
ern improvements,  and  from  being  a  dirty, 
wallowing  food  consumer,  she  gradually 
acquired  a  well-groomed  appearance  and  a 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

good-tempered  affection  for  us  all.  The  pen 
was  built  on  the  English  plan:  A  sleeping 
compartment  six  feet  square,  five  feet  high 
in  front  and  three  feet  at  the  back;  the 
outer  compartment  of  corresponding  size,  with 
walls  three  feet  high,  floor  slanting  slightly 
to  a  drain  at  the  front,  and  a  trough  at  each 


CEMENT 


PIG-PEN 


FLOOR  6   INCHES 
ABOVE  OTHER 
COMPARTMENT 


side.  The  walls,  floor,  and  trough  were  all 
made  of  cement,  like  the  cow  stable,  which, 
by  daily  changing  the  bedding  and  weekly 
sluicing  out,  insured  Peggy's  being  as  clean 
and  sweet  to  visit  as  Rachel. 

If  feeding   affects   the   flavor   and   quality 
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of  poultry  and  eggs,  why  not  of  pork?  On 
this  line  of  reasoning  our  pigs  are  fed.  No  hor- 
rible, half -mouldy  swill  barrel  stands  around. 
Waste  matter,  such  as  vegetable  peelings, 
small  potatoes,  apples,  and  other  unmarket- 
able products,  corn  stalks,  or  hay  cut  into 
inch  lengths,  and  a  small  quantity  of  salt 
are  all  boiled  in  a  feed  stove  until  quite  ten- 
der. Then  shorts,  middlings,  crushed  oats, 
or  bran  are  stirred  into  it  and  left  to  steam 
and  become  cold.  Skim-milk  and  butter- 
milk, when  there  is  any  to  spare,  also  go 
to  the  pig;  but  no  fat  or  flesh  meat  of  any 
description. 

Mature  stock  have  a  pailful  of  such  feed 
night  and  morning,  with  a  milk  or  milk-and- 
water  drink,  and  some  chopped  fodder  at 
noon.  Water  stands  before  them  all  the 
time  in  one  of  the  cement  troughs,  into  which, 
twice  a  week,  a  pailful  of  coal  or  wood  ashes 
is  put,  which  affords  the  pig  much  pleasure 
as  well  as  aiding  digestion.  Once  a  week 
half  an  ounce  Of  sulphur  and  a  pint  of  char- 
x  305 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

coal  are  added  to  the  feed,  and  a  bag  of  oak 
leaves  are  thrown  into  the  yard  at  least  as 
often. 

In  the  wall  at  the  side  of  the  outer  com- 
partment a  trap  only  large  enough  for  a 
baby  pig  to  get  through  opens,  and  behind 
it  a  yard  three  feet  square  in  which  a  small 
trough  stands.  When  the  babies  are  two 
weeks  old,  the  trap  is  opened  and  the  trough 
filled  three  times  a  day  with  a  mixture  of 
skim-milk  and  crushed  oat  gruel.  The  lat- 
ter is  made  by  boiling  one  quart  of  crushed 
oats  in  four  quarts  of  water  for  half  an  hour, 
and  then  straining.  Of  course  fattening  pigs 
should  have  all  they  can  eat  at  a  time,  and 
be  fed  four  times  a  day. 

An  expert  has  described  the  appearance  of 
a  good  sow  as  follows:  Wide  between  the 
eyes,  neck  moderately  thin,  shoulders  deep, 
back  wide  and  straight,  deep  chest,  and  well- 
sprung  ribs.  Our  pigs  have  all  been  of  the 
Essex  breed,  simply  because  such  a  boar 
was  kept  on  an  adjacent  farm.  Peggy  was 

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supposed  to  be  a  Chester  White,  so  I  suppose, 
to  be  accurate,  I  should  have  said  her  de- 
scendants are  Essex- Chesters. 


ORCHARD 

Apples  should  all  be  picked  during  the 
beginning  of  the  month.  Keeping  for  win- 
ter in  a  small  way  for  the  home  can  be  sat- 
isfactorily done  if  only  some  fruit  is  used 
gathered  by  hand  from  the  tree.  Get  sugar 
or  flour  barrels  (sugar  are  the  best),  put 
a  layer  of  hay  at  the  bottom,  pack  the  apples 
one  by  one,  stems  down,  in  even  layers  as 
tightly  as  can  be  done  without  bruising.  Hay 
or  paper  placed  between  the  layers  will  aid 
their  preservation.  When  the  barrel  is  full, 
replace  the  end  and  stand  in  a  cool  outhouse 
on  its  side,  until  really  cold  weather.  Then 
either  cover  with  bedding  or  remove  to  a  cellar 
or  a  store  pit. 

If  cider  is  to  be  made  of  the  windfalls, 
buy  an  empty  sherry  or  whiskey  cask  if  you 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

would  have  sweet  tasting  cider;  for  it  is  a 
mistake  to  use  the  same  keg  season  after 
season,  unless  you  wish  the  cider  to  stand 
and  turn  to  vinegar. 


VEGETABLE    GARDEN 

Have  a  hotbed  made  before  the  ground 
freezes,  even  if  you  don't  intend  using  it 
before  March.  Select  a  sheltered  position 
near  the  house,  preferably  on  land  that  slopes 
if  that  is  possible.  Have  a  pit  dug  six  feet 
long,  three  feet  wide,  and  three  feet  deep. 
Board  up  all  round,  allowing  the  wood  to 
project  eighteen  inches  above  the  earth's 
surface  at  the  top,  and  about  eight  inches  at 
the  bottom,  the  sides  sloping  down  from  the 
top  to  join  the  bottom,  so  making  a  slope  that 
will  catch  all  the  sun  and  shed  water.  Regu- 
lar hotbed  sashes  fit  these  dimensions  and 
cost  $3 ;  but  a  home-made  sash  of  oiled 
muslin  and  shingle  slats,  like  those  used 
for  water-cress,  will  answer  almost  as  well. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Bank  the  earth  up  all  round  even  with 
the  edge  of  the  projecting  boards,  and  if 
not  to  be  used  until  March,  fill  with  coarse 
stable  manure  to  keep  out  frost. 

As  a  cold  frame,  put  into  the  bottom  of 
the  pit  a  layer  of  small  stones  some  two  inches 
deep;  then  fill  to  within  fourteen  inches  of 
the  top  with  rich  sandy  soil.  Transplant 
young  lettuce,  cabbage,  and  cauliflower  from 
the  ground  at  the  end  of  the  month;  but 
don't  use  the  sash  until  next  month  —  then 
only  at  nights  or  on  frosty  days.  After  se- 
vere cold  sets  in,  keep  covered;  ventilate 
only  when  you  are  sure  it  is  discreet  to  do  so. 
Cover  the  sash  with  straw  mats  during  the  zero 
weather.  The  object  is  only  to  keep  plants 
uninjured  until  weather  permits  their  being 
again  planted  in  the  ground.  For  that  reason, 
no  artificial  heat  is  provided  in  the  cold  frame. 

Filling  for  the  hotbed,  whether  to  be  used 
for  the  development  of  winter  salad  or  seed- 
ing next  spring,  is,  of  course,  the  same.  Put 
in  a  layer  of  stone  as  before;  then  prepare 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

a  compost  as  follows:  Equal  quantities  of 
rotted  leaves  from  the  woods  and  fresh 
horse  droppings;  mix  thoroughly,  and  in 
severe  weather  pack  into  a  conical  heap  in 
a  shed.  During  early  fall  the  heap  can  be 
made  and  kept  outside.  After  heat  com- 
mences to  rise,  fork  the  heap  very  thoroughly 
and  reshape.  This  should  be  done  twice,  to 
allow  the  rank  steam  to  escape. 

After  the  sweetening  process,  place,  in  the 
frame  to  the  depth  of  two  feet,  packing  down 
firmly.  Insert  a  thermometer  and  put  on  the 
sash.  Examine  within  two  days.  The  heat 
should  have  commenced  to  rise  and  will 
run  up  to,  or  over,  a  hundred.  Wait  until 
it  subsides  to  eighty  or  ninety  degrees;  then 
cover  the  manure  with  six  inches  of  rich, 
sandy  soil.  Then  the  bed  is  ready  for  use. 
The  sash  must  be  covered  at  night  by  straw 
mats  or  some  adequate  protecting  material. 
Ventilate  every  day,  if  the  sun  is  shining, 
for  a  few  minutes  —  time  to  be  regulated  by 
the  outer  atmosphere. 

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Many  hotbeds  are  made  entirely  above 
the  surface,  but  the  pit  retains  the  heat 
much  better,  making  the  filling  last  longer 
than  in  a  surface  bed.  A  cold  frame  is  use- 
ful and  easy  to  manage,  but  the  hotbed  in 
midwinter  is  a  difficult  undertaking  for 
the  amateur.  So  be  advised !  Make  your 
first  experiment  in  spring,  when  climatic  con- 
ditions will  improve  each  day,  so  mitigating 
the  danger  that  might  arise  from  a  lapse  of 
memory  about  covering,  overheating,  or  like 
important  points. 

Onion  sets  planted  out  the  end  of  the 
month,  and  covered  about  the  end  of  Octo- 
ber with  straw  or  leaves,  will  supply  green 
onions  for  the  table  two  or  three  weeks  earlier 
in  the  spring  than  it  is  possible  to  get  others. 

Kale  sown  now  will  grow  rapidly  and 
stand  out  all  through  the  winter,  a  slight, 
nay,  rather  heavy,  frost  only  improving  it. 
During  January  and  February  it  is  well  to 
throw  bedding  of  some  sort  each  side  of  the 
rows,  and  a  light  covering  over  the  top  —  to 

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be  removed  in  March,  when  the  kale  will 
start  a  fresh  growth,  producing  succulent 
greens  at  a  season  when  most  desired. 

Clean  up  weeds  and  brush.  Keep  the  un- 
planted  ground  cultivated  as  long  as  frost 
will  permit.  You  will  reap  the  benefit  next 
year. 

FLOWER    GARDEN 

By  the  end  of  the  month  most  of  the  ten- 
der plants  should  be  taken  in,  for  a  severe 
frost  may  visit  you  without  warning.  Large 
old  geraniums  can  stand  quite  cold  weather, 
but  don't  be  too  venturesome.  Such  plants 
can  be  taken  up  and  hung  by  the  roots  in  a 
cellar,  where  they  will  remain  in  a  dormant 
condition  until  planted  next  year.  Plants 
that  were  not  taken  from  the  pots  last  May 
or  June  when  put  into  the  ground  should 
now  be  repotted  in  one  size  larger  recep- 
tacles. A  spoonful  of  bone  meal  dug  into 
the  roots  of  potted  plants  two  or  three  times 
during  the  winter  will  insure  plenty  of  blos- 
soms to  cheer  the  home. 

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pq 


CHAPTER   XIV 

POULTRY  AILMENTS 
ROUP 

is  a  disease  that  gives  worry  to 
the  poultry  men  and  women.  Like 
cholera,  it  is  contagious,  runs  a  rapid  course, 
and  even  if  some  birds  are  brought  back  to 
apparent  health,  they  are  not  safe  to  breed 
from,  as  their  progeny  are  sure  to  have  a 
predilection  for  colds,  sore  eyes,  or  swollen 
heads,  which  sooner  or  later  break  out  and 
cause  endless  trouble.  Many  people  scoff 
at  the  idea  of  roup  being  transmitted  to  fu- 
ture generations.  I  did  myself  at  one  time, 
and  bought  two  sittings  of  eggs  from  two  dif- 
ferent farmers  whose  fowls  had  suffered  an 
attack  of  roup  the  preceding  winter,  and 
proved  myself  —  all  wrong  ! 

Of  the  first  sitting  twelve  hatched,  —  rather 
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weakly,  pinched-looking  little  fellows.  One 
died  when  two  weeks  old;  nothing  the  mat- 
ter —  just  a  want  of  energy.  Another  followed 
the  third  week  in  the  same  way.  Four  had 
colds  in  eyes  and  heads  when  six  weeks 
old,  and  though  doctored  and  fussed  with, 
quietly  died  one  after  the  other.  Of  the  six 
remaining  two  were  cockerels,  so  they  were 
killed.  The  four  pullets  matured  slowly, 
and  proved  poor  layers,  easily  affected  by  any 
change  of  atmosphere;  so  at  the  end  of  the 
tenth  month  they  were  killed,  cooked,  and 
fed  to  the  kennels.  The  second  year  was 
just  as  disastrously  convincing.  Thus  the 
experiment  convinced  me  beyond  doubt  that 
roup  at  least  transmits  weakness,  and  should 
therefore  be  guarded  against  as  a  double 
danger. 

Being  transferable,  roup  can  be  brought 
into  your  poultry  by  a  strange  bird.  It  is 
therefore  wise  to  segregate  all  new  birds 
when  first  purchased.  The  most  frequent 
cause  of  outbreaks  is,  however,  right  on  your 

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own  farm.  A  neglected  cold  which  develops 
into  roup  is  passed  along,  becomes  conta- 
gious, and  spreads  like  wildfire  through  the 
flock. 

Watch  your  birds  closely,  especially  at 
morning  feed,  now  when  the  nights  are 
cold;  and  should  one  look  dumpy  or  sneeze, 
pick  it  up  and  remove  it  to  a  sunny,  dry  coop. 
The  symptoms  of  a  common  cold,  catarrh, 
and  roup  are  identical  at  first  —  watery  eyes, 
bubbling  in  the  nostrils,  sometimes  diarrhoea. 
The  discharge  is  at  first  thin  and  scanty,  then 
abundant,  and  finally  thick  and  drying  on  the 
surface.  If  it  is  roup,  the  odor  is  most  dis- 
agreeable. The  victim  at  once  begins  to  lose 
strength.  Should  the  head  begin  to  swell,  it 
is  an  extra  proof  of  the  severity  .of  the  attack 
—  frequently  incurable.  If  you  examine  the 
sick  bird's  throat,  you  will  find  it  inflamed, 
with  small  irregular  patches  of  gray  or  yellow 
at  the  back.  They  increase  rapidly  and  run 
together,  forming  a  tough  membrane,  almost 

closing  the  throat.     If  you  try  to  move  it, 

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blood  oozes.  If  there  are  no  spots  or  bad 
odor  and  the  membrane  comes  away  easily, 
the  bird  has  only  catarrh  —  bad  enough,  but 
not  contagious. 

Bronchitis,  canker,  pneumonia,  and  influ- 
enza are  also  nearly  alike  in  symptoms,  and 
are  easily  mistaken  for  roup.  As  they  are 
still  all  kindred  diseases,  springing  from  cold, 
my  advice  is:  Don't  wait  to  diagnose  the 
case,  but  at  once  use  means  to  kill  the  em- 
bryo germs  without  losing  time  to  determine 
the  particular  family  they  belong  to. 

Having  removed  and  quarantined  the  sus- 
pected bird,  start  treatment,  if  there  is  any 
discharge  anywhere,  by  thoroughly  scrub- 
bing with  some  antiseptic  solution  night 
and  morning.  Dr.  Woods  recommends  hy- 
drogen dioxide  and  fifteen  drops  of  tincture 
of  phytolacca  root  in  each  pint  of  drinking 
water,  with  light,  nourishing  food.  He  also 
gives  as  a  good  remedy  for  all  forms  of  cold : 
tincture  of  aconite,  ten  drops;  bryonia,  ten 
drops;  tincture  spongia,  ten  drops;  alcohol, 

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enough  to  make  one  fluid  ounce.  Mix  this, 
one  spoonful  to  be  added  to  every  quart  of 
drinking  water. 

My  entire  drug  supply  for  family,  animals, 
and  poultry  consists  of  permanganate  of  potas- 
sium, which  comes  in  little  flaky,  deep-lake 
colored  crystals.  Dissolve  a  thimbleful  of 
them  in  a  quart  of  w,ater,  and  you  have  a 
splendid  disinfectant.  A  dessert-spoonful  of 
that  mixture,  diluted  again  by  half  a  pint 
of  water,  becomes  an  antiseptic  solution  that 
meets  every  requirement  for  internal  or  ex- 
ternal use  on  man  or  beast.  Fifty  cents' 
worth  will  last  a  year,  even  generously  used 
as  a  purifier  in  and  out  of  the  house.  It  has 
also  the  added  advantage  of  being  easily  sent 
through  the  mail  without  fear  of  breakage. 
If  kept  in  a  tin  with  a  closely  fitting  lid,  or  a 
wide-mouthed  bottle  severely  corked,  it  will 
last  indefinitely. 

Crude  carbolic  acid  comes  next.  Castor 
oil,  camphor,  borax,  and  turpentine  complete 
the  list,  but  they  are  seldom  used. 

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When  we  have  a  bird  with  a  cold,  it  goes 
into  a  coop  with  plenty  of  straw  on  the  bot- 
tom, which  stands  where  it  gets  all  the  sun. 
At  night  a  curtain  made  of  bags  is  hung  in 
front  for  extra  warmth.  Mouth,  eyes,  and 
nostrils  are  swabbed  with  warm  water  to 
which  the  permanganate  of  potassium  mix- 
ture has  been  added;  half  a  teaspoonful 
is  poured  down  the  invalid's  throat.  Food 
consists  of  stale  bread,  moistened  with  milk 
in  which  onions  have  been  boiled.  If  the 
diarrhoea  is  bad,  half  a  thimbleful  of  poppy 
seed  is  added;  or  water  in  which  mullein 
seed  has  been  boiled  is  given  as  a  drink. 

A  change  of  food  is  made  by  boiling  rice 
and  mixing  it  with  chopped  parsley  and 
green  sprouts  of  onions,  chopped  fine;  and 
powdered  charcoal  is  mixed  in  once  a  day. 
When  we  have  any  of  the  milky  puddings 
for  dinner,  some  of  it  goes  to  the  patient. 
In  fact,  any  sort  of  nourishing  food  you 
would  give  a  child  is  appropriate.  This 
"homey"  doctoring  has  always  answered 

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with  my  poultry,  and  is  much  better  than 
dosing  with  drugs,  which  are  not  always  on 
hand  when  wanted  on  a  farm. 

But  prevention  is  always  better  than  cure. 
Use  common  sense  combined  with  humane 
thoughtfulness  towards  your  stock.  When 
you  notice  that  the  night  has  changed 
suddenly,  or  that  the  morning  is  raw  and 
damp,  causing  you  and  the  family  to  spe- 
cially enjoy  the  hot  cup  of  coffee,  just  add  a 
dessert-spoonful  of  kerosene  to  each  quart 
of  drinking  water  for  all  the  birds.  Give  a 
little  less  mash  for  breakfast.  Half  an  hour 
after  empty  a  bed  of  leaves  into  each  house, 
and  a  couple  of  handfuls  of  millet  seed, 
thus  insuring  an  extra  amount  of  exercise. 
Work  that  circulates  the  blood  is  the  best 
way  of  warding  off  a  cold.  If  you  haven't 
any  millet,  brush  up  the  barn  and  throw 
the  sweepings  into  the  houses  if  it  is  rain- 
ing; into  the  yards  if  it  is  dry.  Dry  cold 
does  not  hurt  fowls,  but  there  is  danger  in 
damp  or  draught. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

GAPES 

Gapes  causes  so  much  mortality  among 
young  chickens  that  you  should  be  pre- 
pared to  fight  the  pest  as  soon  as  symptoms 
of  its  presence  are  observed.  Gapes  is  not 
a  disease,  as  many  people  imagine,  but  a 
parasite  worm,  which  is  supposed  to  exist 
only  on  ground  on  which  birds  have  been 
distributing  droppings  for  more  than  one 
season.  Game  preserves  where  quail,  pheas- 
ants, or  grouse  are  bred  extensively  will 
occasionally  have  epidemics  of  this  scourge 
that  will  sweep  off  hundreds  of  young  birds. 
The  pest  is  about  five-sixteenths  of  an  inch 
long,  and  as  thick  as  a  fine  thread.  It  seems 
certain  from  the  information  gathered  about 
it  that  after  entering  the  windpipe  of  a  chick 
it  produces  young ;  for  bunches  of  little  ones, 
not  more  than  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch  long, 
have  been  found  on  making  a  post-mortem 
examination,  but  only  when  a  mature  worm 
was  also  present.  At  least,  such  is  the 

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result  of  the  investigations  of  one  of  the 
most  reliable  poultry  experts,  who  has  de- 
voted much  time  to  the  study  of  the  subject, 
and  who  also  gives  the  following  directions 
for  exterminating  the  pests:  — 

Mix  salt  and  water,  or  steep  tobacco 
in  water  ten  minutes.  Pour  a  teaspoon- 
ful  down  the  bird's  throat.  Keep  the  head 
up  and  the  two  holes  at  the  base  of  the 
beak  closed  with  your  thumb  and  fore- 
finger while  you  count  five  slowly.  Then 
suddenly  release  and  turn  the  bird's  head 
downward,  holding  it  by  its  feet.  It  will 
gasp,  sputter,  and  usually  eject  the  worms. 

However,  as  we  have  never  had  a  case  of 
gapes  on  our  place,  I  firmly  believe  that 
chopped  garlic  or  green  onion  in  the  feed  is 
a  sovereign  preventive,  and  more  potent  than 
all  the  torturing  cures. 

« 

SCALY   LEGS 

Some  of  the  old  broody  hens  bought  for 
hatching  the  first  year  are  almost  sure  to 

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have  rough  legs.  Don't  make  the  mistake 
of  thinking  that  is  merely  the  sign  of  old  age, 
for  though  scaly  legs  does  not  seem  to  in- 
jure the  general  health  in  any  way,  it  looks 
so  disagreeable  it  should  not  be  allowed  to 
spread  to  the  younger  chickens,  which  it  is 
sure  to  do  unless  checked,  because  it  is 
caused  by  a  parasite  and  is  contagious. 
Bathe  the  afflicted  bird's  legs  and  feet  in 
moderately  strong  permanganate  of  potas- 
sium and  warm  water.  The  best  plan  is 
to  fill  a  two-quart  lard  pail  and  hold  the 
bird's  legs  and  shanks  in  it  for  a  few  min- 
utes, to  soak  and  soften  the  scaly  substance. 
Then  wash  thoroughly,  using  a  plain  white 
soap  and  nail  brush.  Wipe  dry,  and  rub  in 
carbolic  vaseline.  Repeat  every  three  days 
until  cured. 

FEATHER   PULLING 

is  scarcely  a  disease,  yet  as  it  requires  a  cure, 
it  seems  as  if  it  should  come  within  the 
doctor's  jurisdiction.  It  is  really  a  bad 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

habit  which  springs  from  the  natural  desire 
for  animal  food,  being  denied  which  cre- 
ates an  abnormal  desire.  A  fight  or  some 
accident  causes  a  few  feathers  to  be  torn 
from  a  bird's  body  and  some  one  of  the  flock 
discovers  the  animal  secretion  in  the  quills; 
the  habit  is  acquired  to  alleviate  the  crav- 
ing and,  like  most  evils,  spreads  quickly 
throughout  the  pen,  and  it  will  be  only  a 
short  time  before  the  entire  flock  will  be  de- 
moralized. Remedies  are  very  inefficient  in 
this  case,  so  be  careful  to  furnish  a  perpetual 
preventive  in  the  shape  of  meat  scraps  or 
green  bone. 

The  following  receipts  are  from  cuttings 
made  years  ago  for  my  own  guidance,  so 
unfortunately  the  original  sources  are  lost  in 
the  oblivion  of  time. 


CHOLERA 

In    the    majority    of    cases    the    so-called 
wholesale  destruction   of  flocks  from  cholera 

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is  not  cholera  at  all,  but  the  work  of  lice.  On 
some  farms  where  the  hens  hide  away  at  night 
here  and  there,  for  want  of  some  kind  of 
suitable  shelter,  the  trees,  wood  pile,  sheds, 
and  under  the  barns  will  be  swarming  with 
lice;  and  dead  hens  may  be  found  every 
morning,  being  literally  eaten  alive  by  myr- 
iads of  lice,  the  cause  being  attributed  to 
cholera  or  some  disease,  simply  because  the 
owner  cannot  comprehend  how  lice  can  be 
so  destructive.  On  such  farms  there  may 
also  be  found  an  apology  for  a  hen-house, 
the  floor  of  which  will  be  covered  for  a  foot 
or  more  with  droppings,  being  the  accumula- 
tion of  years;  but  which  house  will  be  found 
useless,  as  the  hens  will  prefer  exposure  to 
all  kinds  of  weather  rather  than  venture  in 
the  pest  hole  filled  with  lice  and  called  a 
poultry  house.  Some  farmers  wonder  how 
it  is  that  they  get  no  eggs,  and  they  natu- 
rally ascribe  their  failure  to  "there  being  no 
money  in  chickens";  when  the  fact  is  that 
if  they  were  as  negligent  of  their  horses, 

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cows,  sheep,  and  hogs  as  they  are  of  their 
hens,  they  would  go  into  bankruptcy  the 
first  year.  Before  undertaking  to  cure  chol- 
era, examine  for  lice,  as  in  many  instances 
the  lice  are  at  the  root  of  all  difficulties. 

Genuine  cholera  is  a  disease  that  exists, 
however.  It  is  shown  by  great  thirst,  green- 
ish, profuse  droppings,  and  prostration.  It 
can  be  distinguished  from  indigestion  or 
roup,  as  it  kills  the  bird  in  from  twenty- 
four  to  forty-eight  hours,  or  else  recovery 
ensues.  There  is  no  lingering  illness  con- 
nected with  it.  The  best  remedy  is  car- 
bolic acid.  Add  twenty  drops  to  a  gill  of 
water,  and  with  the  water  mix  together  meal 
and  shorts,  slightly  parched  and  browned, 
and  force  a  tablespoonful  of  such  soft  food 
down  their  throats  twice  a  day.  Give  no 
water  to  drink  at  all.  If  it  is  given,  how- 
ever, add  ten  drops  of  the  acid  to  each 
gill  of  water.  Keep  the  sick  birds  in  a 
dry,  warm  place,  and  separate  from  the 
others. 

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INDIGESTION 

This  is  frequently  mistaken  for  cholera 
and  is  caused  by  overfeeding,  especially 
when  grain  is  largely  used.  The  symptoms 
are  the  same  as  for  cholera,  except  the  in- 
tense thirst  and  the  death  of  the  bird  in  a  few 
hours.  The  remedy  is  to  give  no  food  what- 
ever for  three  days,  and  also  add  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  tincture  of  nux  vomica  to  each  quart 
of  the  drinking  water,  at  the  end  of  three 
days  allowing  one  ounce  of  lean  meat  once  a 
day  for  a  week.  Be  sure  and  provide  sharp 
grit. 

CROP   BOUND 

Whenever  a  fowl  is  crop  bound  it  is  due  to 
eating  something  that  will  not  pass  into  the 
gizzard,  such  as  hay,  old  rope,  rags,  dried 
hay  or  grass,  or  anything  that  is  liable  to  be- 
come packed.  The  opening  from  the  crop 
to  the  gizzard  may  be  clogged  with  a  small 
piece  of  hemp  or  rag,  and  as  no  food  passes 
to  the  gizzard,  the  fowl  is  all  the  time  hun- 

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gry  and  eats  and  eats,  only  to  add  more 
to  the  crop,  yet  not  satisfying  hunger.  It 
starves  with  a  full  crop.  As  it  eats  to  sat- 
isfy hunger,  yet  fails  to  do  so,  the  crop  is 
filled  to  its  utmost,  every  little  space  being 
packed,  and  the  crop  in  a  few  days  becomes 
as  hard  as  a  wooden  ball.  On  the  first  symp- 
toms give  the  bird  a  tablespoonful  of  warm 
lard,  and  work  the  crop  with  the  hand  until 
it  becomes  soft,  as  by  so  doing  the  passage 
to  the  gizzard  may  be  cleared  and  the  food 
begin  to  move  out  of  the  crop ;  but  if  this  fails, 
which  may  be  known  by  examining  the  bird 
four  or  five  hours  after  manipulating  the 
crop,  then  the  crop  must  be  opened.  To  do 
this,  make  an  incision  lengthwise  in  the  up- 
per part  of  the  crop  about  an  inch  or  an 
inch  and  a  half  in  length.  This  should  be 
very  cleanly  made  with  a  sharp  lancet  or 
penknife.  As  there  is  an  outer  and  inner 
skin,  draw  the  outer  skin  aside  when  cutting, 
so  that  it  will  go  in  place  again  and  cover 
the  inner  skin. 

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Through  this  incision  the  contents  of  the 
crop  may  be  removed,  using  for  that  pur- 
pose a  small  egg  spoon.  Sometimes  the 
mass  is  so  hard  that  it  cannot  pass  through 
the  aperture,  and  in  that  case  it  must  be 
broken  up,  which  can  be  done  with  care  and 
patience.  This  mass  is  usually  very  of- 
fensive indeed,  and  to  remove  any  contami- 
nating matter  from  the  crop,  this  organ 
should  be  washed  out  with  a  half  teaspoon- 
ful  of  carbolic  acid  in  a  quart  of  water.  It 
is  also  desirable  to  pass  the  finger,  well 
pared  and  oiled,  into  the  orifice,  so  as  to  be 
certain  that  there  is  no  obstruction  there; 
for  if  so,  the  whole  process  may  have  to  be 
gone  over  again.  This  done,  the  incision 
must  be  sewed  up,  and  for  this  a  small  bent 
needle  is  best,  as  by  it  the  skin  can  be  most 
easily  gathered  together,  and  silk  used  — 
not  thread.  Sew  the  inner  skin  first  and 
then  the  outer  one.  Do  not  sew  in  the  usual 
way,  but  pass  the  needle  through,  cut  the 
threads  of  silk,  and  tie  the  ends  of  silk  to- 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

gether.  Before  making  the  incision,  pull  off 
the  feathers,  so  as  to  have  a  clean  skin  to 
work  on.  When  finished,  smear  on  a  little 
tar  to  prevent  fly  blowing.  No  water  must 
be  supplied  until  the  suture  has  completely 
healed  up.  For  a  time  it  is  advisable  to 
keep  strict  watch  on  a  fowl  that  has  been 
crop  bound,  as  there  will  be  a  tendency  to 
a  recurrence  of  it. 


EYE   TROUBLES 

Conjunctivitis.  —  A  catarrhal  inflammation 
of  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  eye.  Caused 
by  cold,  exposure,  bad  hygiene,  injuries,  or 
maybe  extension  of  inflammation  of  nasal 
passages.  Symptoms  are  gumming  together 
of  eyelids,  discharge  of  fluid  from  the  eye, 
and  swelling  of  face  about  the  eye.  May 
occur  on  one  side  of  head  only,  or  on  both. 
Swelling  sometimes  out  of  all  proportion  to 
apparent  inflammation.  Purulent  cases  may 
result  in  keratitis. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Treatment.  —  Conjunctivitis  usually  yields 
to  daily  bathing  with  hydrogen  dioxide  one 
part,  in  two  parts  cold  water.  Ten  drops 
of  tincture  euphrasia  in  each  pint  of  drink- 
ing water  often  proves  efficient. 

Even  hopeless  cases  should  receive  treat- 
ment if  the  fowl  is  to  be  allowed  to  live, 
since  if  the  case  is  neglected,  the  other  eye 
may  suffer  also.  As  in  most  of  these  eye 
cases  there  is  an  ulcerative  condition  of  the 
mucous  membrane  of  the  nasal  tract,  the 
nose  should  come  in  for  its  share  of  cleans- 
ing. After  cleansing  nose,  it  will  be  well  to 
inject  into  it  the  iodoform. 

AN  OLD  AND  TRIED  CURE  FOR  GAPES 

Gapes  is  easily  prevented  by  cleanliness, 
but  so  far  we  have  found  no  trouble  in  cur- 
ing it  by  the  following  method:  Shut  up 
the  sick  chicks  in  a  soap  box.  Pour  in  a 
little  tar  and  spirits  of  turpentine  mixed,  on 
an  oyster  shell,  set  it  on  fire,  and  let  the 

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smoke  fill  the  box  completely.  The  chicks 
may  be  nearly  suffocated  to  advantage,  but 
be  careful  not  to  go  to  an  extreme.  Now 
take  them  out,  and  five  minutes  afterwards 
give  each  chick  a  mouthful  of  corn-meal 
dough,  to  which  spirits  of  turpentine  has 
been  added  in  proportion  of  a  teaspoonful 
of  turpentine  to  half  a  pint  of  corn  meal. 
The  smoke  of  the  tar  and  turpentine  is 
harmless,  and  it  is  also  excellent  for  roup, 
colds,  and  debility.  There  is  a  notion  among 
some  that  they  must  remove  what  they  call 
the  "pip"  from  the  end  of  the  bill  of  each 
young  chick,  which  is  useless  and  unneces- 
sary; and  red  pepper  is  often  given  when 
there  is  no  occasion  for  doing  so. 


331 


CHAPTER  XV 

VEGETABLES  FOR  TABLE  AND  HEALTH 
SQUASH  CUTLETS 

SELECT  a  young  squash,  peel  it,  cut  it 
into  slices  about  half  an  inch  thick,  fry  in 
butter  until  tender.     Pour  parsley  and  butter 
sauce  over  it.     For  breakfast  it  is  always  ap- 
preciated. 

Green  tomatoes  and  cucumbers  are  also 
appropriate  for  frying,  but  they  must  be 
really  green.  After  they  commence  to  turn, 
a  pungent,  bitter  taste  develops  that  is  most 
disagreeable. 

IRISH  STEW 

Peel  potatoes,  ripe  tomatoes,  and  onions; 
cut  into  quarters;  half  fill  a  four-quart 
saucepan  with  alternate  layers;  scatter  half 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

a  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  pepper  between 
each.  Just  cover  with  cold  water  and  cook 
for  one  hour. 

MOCK  DUCK 

Large  marrow  or  white  squash,  whole,  un- 
skinned.  Put  it  in  boiling  water,  cook  half 
an  hour;  when  cool,  skin  it.  If  a  marrow, 
cut  off  three  inches  to  the  end;  if  a  white 
squash,  knife  out  a  circle  about  three  inches 
in  diameter  round  the  stalk.  In  either  case, 
scoop  out  all  the  seeds  and  fibre. 

Make  a  dressing  by  mixing  a  pint  of 
grated  bread  crumbs,  three  onions  chopped 
fine,  a  tablespoonful  of  dried  sage  leaves 
rubbed  fine,  a  teaspoonful  of  dried  mus- 
tard, two  ounces  of  butter  cut  into  small 
pieces,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt;  moisten 
with  a  beaten  egg.  Replace  the  small  piece 
you  cut  out,  put  it  in  a  dripping  pan,  and 
bake  for  two  hours,  using  bacon  or  salt  pork 
dripping  to  baste  with. 

The  brown  gravy  to  go  over  will  come 
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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

from  a  sliced  onion  fried  golden  brown  in 
butter.  Add  a  tablespoonful  of  flour,  brown, 
salt  and  pepper  to  taste,  pour  in  boiling 
water  until  you  have  a  sufficient  quantity, 
stirring  all  the  time. 

Place  the  duck  on  a  hot  dish,  strain  the 
gravy  over  it.  Serve  with  apple  sauce, 
mashed  potatoes,  mashed  turnips. 

FURMITY 

If  you  are  near  a  farm  where  wheat  is 
being  thrashed,  try  an  old  English  dish 
called  "furmity,"  which  is  a  delicious  con- 
coction farmers  in  Lincolnshire  make  for 
the  harvest  feasts,  and  is  composed  of  new 
wheat  principally.  The  receipt  for  the  lux- 
ury is  as  follows :  — 

Ten  quarts  of  new  wheat  put'  in  twenty 
quarts  of  water  and  stewed  until  quite  soft, 
but  whole.  Add  more  boiling  water  as  it 
cooks,  if  necessary.  It  should  be  like  stiff 
oatmeal  porridge  when  taken  from  the  stove. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

Let  it  stand  until  the  next  day;  then  add 
two  pounds  of  the  best  beef  suet,  chopped 
until  it  is  as  fine  as  stale  bread  crumbs;  stir 
into  the  cold  wheat,  adding  two  pounds  of 
stoneless  raisins  and  two  pounds  of  currants 
washed  and  dried,  two  pounds  of  the  best 
brown  sugar,  a  quarter  of  a  pound  each  of 
candied  citron  and  orange  peel  chopped  fine, 
ounce  of  pudding  spice,  and,  unless  you  ob- 
ject, half  a  pint  of  brandy.  When  all  is 
thoroughly  mixed,  add  six  quarts  of  new 
milk,  and  simmer  for  four  or  five  hours. 
Remove,  let  it  stand  until  the  next  day,  and 
serve  with  thick  cream.  Care  must  be  taken 
not  to  let  it  burn. 

We  make  half  the  quantity  at  a  time, 
using  a  large  brown  stone  jar  with  a  lid, 
which  is  placed  in  a  round  boiler  half  filled 
with  boiling  water. 

OKRA 

A  savory  dish  for  lunch  or  dinner  is  made 
in  the  following  manner:  Butter  a  pud- 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

ding  dish,  put  a  layer  of  cooked  or  half- 
cooked  rice,  a  layer  of  sliced  okra,  a  layer  of 
ripe  sliced  tomatoes,  butter,  pepper,  salt, 
and  a  little  sugar  if  the  acid  of  the  tomatoes 
be  objectionable.  Repeat  the  layers  until  the 
dish  is  filled.  Grate  bread  crumbs  on  top, 
with  pieces  of  butter;  pour  in  as  much  boil- 
ing water  as  the  dish  will  hold;  bake  long 
enough  to  cook;  serve  hot. 

Okra  soup  any  cook-book  will  give  you. 

POT-CHEESE 

The  pans  of  sour  milk  can  be  converted 
into  pot-cheese  by  being  placed  near  the  stove 
until  whey  starts  and  covers  the  top;  then 
poured  into  a  cheese-cloth  and  hung  up  to 
drip  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then  turn  it 
out,  break  up  with  a  fork,  sprinkle  with  salt, 
and  beat  a  little  fresh  cream  through  it  if 
it  is  for  table  use.  Naturally,  omit  the  cream 
if  for  your  chickens. 

A  Swede  taught  me  another  way  to  use 
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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

the  curds,  which  we  like  extremely.  Put 
about  two  quarts  into  a  small  bag,  and  let 
it  hang  in  a  dry,  cool  place  for  four  or  five 
days  until  quite  dry.  Then  take  it  out  and 
grate  finely;  add  half  a  pound  of  currants, 
half  a  cup  of  sugar,  and  three  beaten  eggs, 
and  fry  like  batter-cakes,  only  much  thicker. 

SAVORY  POT-CHEESE 

If  the  milk  has  soured  rapidly  into  a  thick 
clabber,  it  may  be  put  at  once  into  a  cheese- 
cloth bag  and  hung  to  drip  until  every  bit  of 
whey  has  run  out.  If  not  so  thick,  turn 
boiling  water  from  the  tea-kettle  into  the  pan 
of  sour  milk  and  let  it  stand  for  a  few  mo- 
ments for  the  curds  and  whey  to  separate. 
As  soon  as  this  is  accomplished,  put  into 
the  bag  to  drip.  When  the  whey  has  been 
disposed  of,  turn  the  curd  into  a  basin  and 
add  butter,  salt,  and  cream,  sweet  or  sour,  to 
make  rather  moist  and  of  good  flavor.  Add 
paprika,  black  pepper,  minced  sweet  green 
z  337 


A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

pepper,  or  fine-cut  pepper  grass,  as  you  like. 
Then  mould  on  crisp,  green  lettuce  leaves, 
or  make  into  tiny  soft  balls  no  larger  than 
English  walnuts.  Never  fall  into  the  mistake 
of  making  these  balls  big,  round,  and  hard, 
like  the  pot-cheese  of  commerce,  which  is 
dry,  crumbly,  and  suggestive  of  overmuch 
handling. 

POTATO   CHEESE-CAKES 

Pound  well  together  three  ounces  of 
boiled  mealy  potato,  two  ounces  of  melted 
butter,  four  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar,  and  the 
grated  yellow  rind  of  two  lemons.  Stir 
until  smooth,  then  add  the  yolks  of  two  eggs 
and  the  white  of  one,  well  beaten.  Line 
some  patty  pans  with  puff  paste,  fill  them 
and  bake  twenty  minutes  in  a  good  oven. 

CURD    CHEESE-CAKES 

Boil  one  pint  of  milk,  and  add  it  gradually 
to  three  well -beaten  eggs.  Let  it  simmer 
until  the  milk  curdles;  then  pour  off  the 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

whey  and  allow  the  curd  to  drain  a  little 
over  a  sieve.  Then  beat  it  up  with  a  fork, 
add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar,  a  pinch  of 
salt,  four  ounces  of  currants  (cleaned  and 
dried),  one  ounce  of  melted  butter,  and  a 
little  mixed  spice.  Mix  well.  Line  patty 
pans  with  puff  paste;  fill  three  parts  with 
the  curd  mixture  and  bake  in  a  good  oven. 
A  very  old-fashioned  sweet. 


HOWELL   HONEY-CAKE 

It  is  a  hard  cake. 

Take  6  Ib.  flour,  3  Ib.  honey,  1J  Ib.  sugar, 
1|  Ib.  butter,  6  eggs,  ^  oz.  saleratus,  ginger 
to  your  taste.  Directions  for  mixing:  Have 
the  flour  in  a  pan  or  tray.  Pack  a  cavity  in 
the  centre.  Beat  the  honey  and  yolks  of 
eggs  together  well.  Beat  the  butter  and 
sugar  to  cream,  and  put  into  the  cavity  in 
the  flour;  then  add  the  honey  and  yolks  of 
eggs.  Mix  well  with  the  hand,  adding  a 
little  at  a  time  during  the  mixing,  the  J  oz. 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

saleratus  dissolved  in  boiling  water  until  it 
is  all  in.  Add  the  ginger,  and  finally  add 
the  whites  of  the  6  eggs,  well  beaten.  Mix 
well  with  the  hand  to  a  smooth  dough.  Divide 
the  dough  into  seven  equal  parts,  and  roll 
out  like  gingerbread.  Bake  in  ordinary 
square  pans  made  for  pies  from  10  x  14 
tin.  After  putting  into  the  pans,  mark 
off  the  top  in  J-inch  strips  with  something 
sharp.  Bake  an  hour  in  a  moderate  oven. 
Be  careful  not  to  burn,  but  bake  well.  Dis- 
solve sugar  to  glaze  over  top  of  cake.  To 
keep  the  cake,  stand  on  end  in  an  oak  tub, 
tin  can,  or  stone  crock  —  crock  is  the  best. 
Stand  the  cards  up  so  the  flat  sides  will  not 
touch  each  other.  Cover  tight.  Keep  in  a 
cool,  dry  place.  Don't  use  until  three  months 
old  at  least.  The  cake  improves  with  age, 
and  will  keep  good  as  long  as  you  will  let  it. 
I  find  any  cake  sweetened  with  honey  does 
not  dry  out  like  sugar  or  molasses  cake,  and 
age  improves  or  develops  the  honey  flavor. 

—  E.  D.  HOWELL. 
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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

HONEY   APPLE-BUTTER 

1  gallon  good  cooking  apples,  1  quart 
honey,  1  quart  honey  vinegar,  1  heaping 
teaspoonful  ground  cinnamon.  Cook  several 
hours,  stirring  often  to  prevent  burning.  If 
the  vinegar  is  very  strong,  use  part  water. 
—  MRS.  R.  C.  AIKEN. 

SUMMER  HONEY-DRINK 

1  spoonful  fruit  juice  and  1  spoonful  honey, 
in  £  glass  water;  stir  in  as  much  soda  as 
will  lie  on  a  silver  dime,  and  then  stir  in  half 
as  much  tartaric  acid,  and  drink  at  once. 

GENERALITIES 

Hippocrates,  the  father  of  medicine,  con- 
sidered cabbage  one  of  the  most  valuable  of 
remedies.  Erastratus  deemed  it  a  valuable 
remedy  against  paralysis.  Cato,  in  his  writ- 
ings, claimed  it  to  be  a  panacea  for  all  dis- 
eases, and  believed  its  use  made  it  possible 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

for  the  Romans  to  do  without  the  use  of 
physicians  for  six  hundred  years,  they  hav- 
ing expelled  them  from  their  country  for 
that  length  of  time.  M.  Chevreul,  a  former 
scientist,  says  the  odor  caused  by  the  boil- 
ing of  cabbage  is  due  to  the  liberation  of 
sulphuretted  hydrogen.  Cabbage  can  be 
cooked  so  that  this  principle  will  not  be 
liberated  and  will  remain  as  an  aid  to  its 
digestion.  If  put  on  in  salted  boiling  water 
and  allowed  to  simmer,  never  boil,  from 
one-half  to  three-quarters  of  a  hour,  drained, 
and  served  either  with  melted  butter  or  cream 
sauce  poured  over  it,  even  those  of  weak  di- 
gestion can  indulge  in  its  use. 

The  onion  is  of  special  value  to  the  coun- 
try family  far  removed  from  doctor  or  drug 
store.  Nothing  alleviates  croup  more  quickly 
than  a  poultice  of  onions  fried  in  goose  greese ; 
or  if  that  is  wanting,  any  fat.  Fill  a  bag 
large  enough  to  fit  up  round  the  throat  and 
reach  to  the  pit  of  the  stomach.  Use  as  hot 
as  can  be  borne.  If  the  poultice  is  made 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

about  two  inches  thick,  it  will  retain  the 
heat  for  some  thirty  or  forty  minutes,  during 
which  time  another  should  be  made  to  take 
its  place.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  place  two  or 
three  folds  of  flannel  between  the  patient  and 
the  poultice,  for  then  it  can  be  applied  whilst 
very  hot,  pieces  of  flannel  being  slipped  aside 
as  the  heat  moderates.  The  effect  is  sooth- 
ing, alleviating  the  pain  and  lulling  the  pa- 
tient to  sleep.  In  extremely  severe  cases, 
when  the  child  seems  in  danger  of  choking, 
grate  a  large  onion,  mix  one  teaspoonful  of 
the  juice  with  a  little  sugar,  and  pour  down 
the  child's  throat.  I  once  saved  a  baby  of 
two  years  old,  after  the  doctor  had  given  up 
all  hope,  with  this  household  remedy. 

The  juice  of  a  roasted  onion  will  cure  a 
bee  or  wasp  sting  as  by  magic.  The  heart  of 
a  roasted  onion  will  work  the  same  relief  for 
earache.  Eating  a  raw  onion  at  night  stimu- 
lates the  secretions  and  purifies  the  blood. 

Celery  contains  an  aromatic  oil,  sugar, 
mucilage,  starch,  and  manna  sugar.  The 

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A  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

daily  moderate  use  of  celery  is  said  to 
remove  nervousness  and  even  palpitation 
of  the  heart.  For  rheumatism  and  kidney 
troubles  it  is  considered  excellent.  Those 
having  weak  digestion  should  eat  celery 
cooked,  as  the  fibre  of  celery  makes  it  diffi- 
cult of  digestion. 

Rhubarb  should  be  eaten  as  a  matter  of 
duty,  for  it  is  one  of  nature's  pleasantest 
remedies,  counteracting  the  ill  effects  of 
heavy  winter  diet. 

Water-cress  is  a  splendid  tonic,  and  the 
country  home  should  manage  to  have  a  plen- 
tiful supply. 

Asparagus  and  lettuce  are  so  universally 
liked  that  the  family  are  sure  to  eat  quanti- 
ties without  regard  to  the  medical  qualities, 
which  are  many  and  varied. 


344 


A  Woman's  Hardy  Garden 

By   HELENA   RUTHERFURD  ELY 

With  many  Illustrations  from  Photographs  taken  in  the  Author's 
Garden  by  PROFESSOR  C.  F.  CHANDLER 

Cloth  i2mo  $1-75  net 

"  It  is  never  for  a  moment  vague  or  general,  and  Mrs.  Ely  is  cer- 
tainly inspiring  and  helpful  to  the  prospective  gardener." 

—  Boston  Herald. 

"  Mrs.  Ely  gives  copious  details  of  the  cost  of  plants,  the  exact 
dates  of  planting,  the  number  of  plants  required  in  a  given  space 
for  beauty  of  effect  and  advantage  to  free  growth,  the  protection 
needed  from  sun  and  frost,  the  precautions  to  take  against  injury 
from  insects,  the  satisfaction  to  be  expected  from  the  different 
varieties  of  plants  in  the  matter  of  luxuriant  bloom  and  length  of 
time  for  blossoming,  and  much  information  to  be  appreciated  only 
by  those  who  have  raised  a  healthy  garden  by  the  slow  teachings  of 
personal  experience."  —  New  York  Times  Saturday  Review. 


Another  Hardy  Garden  Book 

By   HELENA   RUTHERFURD  ELY 

With  forty-nine  Illustrations  from  Photographs  taken  in  the  Author's 
Garden  by  PROFESSOR  C.  F.  CHANDLER 

Cloth  i2mo  $1-75  net 

"  Mrs.  Ely  is  the  wisest  and  most  winning  teacher  of  the  fascinat- 
ing art  of  gardening  that  we  have  met  in  modern  print." 

—  New  York  Tribune. 


THE   MACMILLAN    COMPANY 
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THE  FAT  OF  THE  LAND 

The  Story  of  an  American  Farm 

By  JOHN  WILLIAMS  STREETER 

Cloth     1 2  mo    $1.50  net 

" '  The  Fat  of  the  Land '  is  the  sort  of  book  that  ought  to  be  epoch- 
making  in  its  character,  for  it  tells  what  can  be  accomplished  through 
the  application  of  business  methods  to  the  farming  business —  a  pursuit 
which,  too  often,  is  woefully  lacking  in  that  sort  of  method  of  doing 
business.  It  is  wonderfully  attractive.  Never  was  the  freshness,  the 
beauty,  the  joy,  the  freedom  of  country  life  put  in  a  more  engaging 
fashion.  From  cover  to  cover  it  is  a  fascinating  book  .  .  .  and  withal 
is  as  practical  and  as  full  of  common  sense  as  a  balance  sheet.  It  is  a 
book  that  cannot  fail  to  do  good  in  every  circle  into  which  it  finds  its 
way."  —  The  Brooklyn  Eagle. 

"  The  importance  and  value  of  such  a  book  as  '  The  Fat  of  the  Land  ' 
is  incalculable.  It  takes  us  back  to  the  soil,  to  the  country,  the  farm, 
the  forest,  and  all  their  delights  and  pleasures.  .  .  .  The  story  of  the 
purchase  of  the  farm,  of  the  hiring  of  help,  of  the  setting  out  of  fruit 
trees,  the  purchase  of  stock,  and  the  gradual  putting  of  the  establish- 
ment upon  a  substantial  footing,  is  told  by  Dr.  Streeter  with  a  frank- 
ness, a  vivacity,  a  good -humor,  and  a  practicality  which  make  it  more 
interesting  to  the  nature-loving  reader  than  if  it  were  a  modern  novel 
of  the  most  exciting  kind." —  The  Boston  Transcript. 


THE  GARDEN  OF  A  COMMUTER'S 
WIFE 

RECORDED  BY  THE  GARDENER 

•WITH  EIGHT  PHOTOGRAVURE  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Cloth    i2mo    $1.50 

" '  The  Garden  of  a  Commuter's  Wife '  is  a  legend  that  gives  no  hint 
of  the  wit  and  wisdom  and  graceful  phrase  within  its  covers.  The 
Commuter's  charming  woman  writes  of  her  suburban  garden,  her  orig- 
inal servants,  and  various  other  incidents  which  come  in  the  course  of 
living  in  a  thoroughly  human  way.  She  reminds  one  of  Elizabeth  of 
"  German  Garden  "  fame  in  more  ways  than  one,  but  being  American 
she  is  broader,  more  versatile  and  humorous,  if  not  also  more  poetic. 
It  breathes  an  air  of  cheery  companionship,  of  flowers,  birds,  all  nature, 
and  the  warm  affection  of  human  friendship."  —  Chicago  Post. 


THE   MACMILLAN   COMPANY 

64-66   FIFTH   AVENUE,    NEW   YORK 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW. 


ffl 


Series  9482 


A     000  559  224 


